Court Date Set for Man Who Hit Bicyclist and Drove Off

A court date has been set for an East Palo Alto man who hit a bicyclist with his car and then drove off.

The accident took place in an unincorporated area of San Mateo County near the borders of Menlo Park and Redwood City on Oct. 28.

Valentin Arias Jimenez, 29, was driving his Mercedes through an intersection when he struck a bicyclist. The bicyclist was thrown off of his bike and onto the hood of the car, and then fell to the ground.

Witnesses saw Jimenez get out of his car and look at the cyclist lying on the ground, then get back into his car and drive off.

Witnesses noted Jimenez' license plate number and immediately called the police to report the incident.

Thanks to the witnesses' call, California Highway Patrol officers were able to spot Jimenez and take him into custody.

San Mateo County Deputy District Attorney Jenna Johansson, who is prosecuting the case, said, "Amazingly, the bicyclist came out of the collision fine, with just a few bumps and bruises."

Jimenez has waived his right to a speedy preliminary hearing, and is scheduled to appear in court again on Feb. 19.

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