Seattle Police arrest driver in fatal hit and run of bicyclist

BY Brandi Kruse  on June 7, 2012 @ 9:37 am (Updated: 12:34 pm - 6/7/12 )

Seattle Police have made an arrest in the July 2011 fatal hit and run of a bicyclist in South Lake Union.

Few details were released during a news conference Thursday, at which police announced the arrest of Erlin Garcia Reyes, 28, of Normandy Park.

Police believe Reyes was the driver of an SUV that fatally struck and killed 44-year-old Michael Wang on July 28. The SUV hit Wang as the driver made a left turn on Dexter Ave. North. The suspect fled the scene.

Wang, a married father of two, was an avid bicyclist and photographer for PATH, a global health non-profit. He had commuted by bike from South Lake Union to his home in Shoreline and back for years.

"Late July, when we got word of Mike Wang's death, it hit our community hard. All of us were deeply shaken," said Chuck Ayers with Cascade Bicycle Club, of which Wang was a member.

Ayers said Wang was 100-percenter, which meant he had rode to work every day the month he was killed.

The Seattle's Police Department Traffic Collision Investigation Squad would not say Thursday what led them to Reyes, who had not been interviewed by police prior to Wednesday.

He was booked into the King County Jail for felony hit and run.

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (20)


  • Add A Comment

  • Denco25 wrote...
    Correction
    June 7, 2012 10:33 am
    IS survived by...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleNative wrote...
    Just looked up Erlin on facebook
    June 7, 2012 11:17 am
    Guess what his profile photo is.

    That's right. Him showing off his SUV.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • MK wrote...
    Arrested
    June 7, 2012 11:35 am
    ...on a seperate hit and run incident. Seems to have a problem with seeing objects in the road.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 333 wrote...
    shark75
    June 7, 2012 11:43 am
    nice work killing someones husband???? really? Nice one AJ. Yes everyone shark75 is AJ..WHAT A CREEP.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Citizen of Krazy Town wrote...
    "had rode"????
    June 7, 2012 12:05 pm
    I'm no journalist, but I think you would either drop the "had" or change "rode" to "ridden".
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    Citizen,
    June 7, 2012 1:31 pm
    you're going to have to lower your expectations of professional journalistic standards....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Informed wrote...
    @333
    June 7, 2012 2:01 pm
    How do you know shark75 is AJ?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    shark75 is no AJ McCarrell
    June 7, 2012 4:12 pm
    How do I know? Because I am also shark75 (my alter blog ego), but I am not AJ McCarrell!

    In 1975 I was Marlin fishing and I caught a shark, by accident. I had him taxidermied (sp?) and he hangs above my desk in my library. I put the name "shark-1975" on the plaque, and a shortened version became my nickname over time!

    Hope this clears up any misgivings!

    What a blast that was reeling him in.......

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Newton wrote...
    That is good Police Work.
    June 7, 2012 3:35 pm
    How was this solved.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • myopinion wrote...
    I knew
    June 7, 2012 3:59 pm
    that you frigging freaks would make it a racial thing, can't get a real thought though your head loosers.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • myopinion wrote...
    AJ THE IDIOT
    June 7, 2012 4:02 pm
    That felon AJ actually has to make a racial comment, but he did'nt do that in PRISON. SHARK 75 oh really you are implying that you were born in 75 or started doing time in 75
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    The gloves are off . . . .
    June 7, 2012 5:20 pm
    Shark's are in the water! Get out while you can.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }