Bicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver on Mountain Highway, troopers say

A bicyclist was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver north of Eatonville on Thursday morning, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The bicyclist was riding north at state Route 7 and 320th Street East between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. when she was struck by a northbound driver that veered onto the shoulder, State Patrol spokeswoman Johnna Batiste said. That driver fled the scene.

A nearby resident went outside about 10:15 a.m. and walked to the end of their driveway and spotted an abandoned bicycle in their grass.

“They thought, ‘Huh, that’s weird,’ walked down a little further and saw the body in the ditch,” Batiste said.

They called 911, and troopers arrived and identified the 66-year-old Eatonville woman as the victim.

Troopers interviewed residents and were able to determine the bicyclist was struck sometime between 8:30 and 9:30.

Fragments of bodywork and a headlight assembly indicate a black vehicle likely struck the woman, Batiste said. Troopers are trying to find a damaged vehicle matching that description.

Northbound traffic on Mountain Highway East was blocked until 3 p.m. as troopers investigated the incident.

Anyone with information about the deadly incident is asked to contact the State Patrol at 253-538-3240.

This story was originally published August 9, 2018 at 1:24 PM.