Driver and passenger under influence flee after hitting 74-year-old cyclist

A 40-year-old woman hit a 74-year-old cyclist Friday afternoon on the Emopad while driving under the influence of multiple drugs. After the collision, the passenger, a 42-year-old man, took control of the vehicle and fled the scene, Omroep Brabant reported. He was also under the influence.

The incident was reported to the local police around 4 p.m. The woman, from Helmond, caused the accident, according to authorities. When officers arrived, the car was gone. Police later learned that the passenger from Eindhoven had driven away.

Authorities attempted to contact the man by phone. During the call, the man verbally threatened and insulted the officer.

Around 5 p.m., police spotted the car on Laan der Vier Heemskinderen in Geldrop and blocked it with multiple units to prevent another escape. Both occupants were taken into custody. Authorities said the man had been driving with a revoked license for ten years and is suspected of obstructing evidence and insulting a police officer.

The vehicle has been impounded, pending a court decision on whether it will be returned or sold at auction. The injured cyclist was taken to the hospital; her condition has not been disclosed.