Family members, friends, and cyclists turned out for a memorial service today honoring Mark Pendleton, who was killed by a hit and run driver.
The 49-year-old cyclist was riding south on McEwan Road near state Highway 4 in unincorporated Contra Costa County on Monday evening when he was hit, California Highway Patrol Officer Scott Yox said.
The city of Martinez is also now offering a $5,000 reward for information on the driver, bringing the total reward fund to $10,000.
The East Bay Bicycle Coalition has placed a white "ghost bike" at the spot where Pendleton was killed.
Fellow bikers held a memorial ride along the Carquinez Scenic Drive to the steep climb up McEwen Road and return to Martinez on Franklin Canyon Road. They told stories of their friend, an avid biker, as they rolled along.
CHP investigators believe the vehicle that killed Pendleton, possibly a Chevrolet Silverado or similar model pickup truck or sport utility vehicle, crossed over into the southbound lane and hit Pendleton, who was riding close to the west shoulder.
An off-duty fire captain from Crockett found Pendleton just after 6 p.m. and called for medical assistance, but Pendleton died at the scene.
CHP officers handed out flyers Tuesday evening near where the collision occurred, hoping motorists might remember seeing something that could point the CHP in the right direction, Yox said.
Investigators have since been able to start to piece together some information about the crash.
Investigators were able to narrow the time frame of the crash to about a 15-minute period after a motorist driving in the area around 5:20 p.m. the day of the hit-and-run reported seeing a bicyclist who may have been Pendleton. The motorist reported being startled by the rider because he appeared to be riding without lights or reflectors.
