"For all he knew I could have been dead": Cyclist searches for hit-and-run driver

A cyclist struck in a hit-and-run incident says he just feels lucky to be alive and called for the driver involved to come forward.

John Spear was riding home from work in Truro on Saturday 8 January at 5pm when a driver smashed into him as he rode across the Tesco roundabout on the A39.

As the postman rode out into the then empty roundabout he saw a red van in the corner of his vision, which then turned out of Morlaix Avenue and hit him, throwing the rider onto the bonnet, causing a heavy impact with his head.

Now, Mr Spear is hoping witnesses will come forward to help catch the motorist involved, who did not stop at the scene.

"For someone to just run off at the scene, it's just wrong. For all he knew I could have been dead, I hadn’t moved, or gotten up," the cyclist explained in an interview with Cornwall Live.

"I saw the van briefly in the corner of my eye and the next thing I knew, I was on the floor. I know I bounced off the windshield. I noticed the van from where I was - but knew I didn’t want to move in case I hurt my back.

"It’s true what they say, everything goes in slow motion and as it hit me I remember thinking 'thank God I didn’t go underneath'."

Mr Spear was wearing high-vis clothing at the time of the collision and had lights on his bike, but it still did not stop the driver hitting him. Instead of stopping, the driver sped away from the scene on the A39 towards the Trafalgar Roundabout.

The motorist was driving an older-looking Peugeot van with black roof bars.

"He slowed down as he exited the roundabout and I thought he was going to stop," Mr Spear continued. "So I didn’t try and make out the number plate as I focused on checking I was alright, like wiggling my toes, since this is the worst accident I’ve been in."

After receiving help from passers by he refused help from people offering to call an ambulance, fearing the wait could take several hours.

"I felt I didn’t really want to wait five hours to find out nothing was life-threatening. But I didn’t feel good at all, and couldn't walk home. One of the people gave me a lift home," he continued.

"In hindsight I probably should have waited for an ambulance and made more out of it.

"My lower leg and calf is where I was hurting most at first. I rolled onto my back, whacked my head and then ended up on the floor. Apparently I did a full cartwheel. My leg is really sore, and I’m limping when I walk. My back is really bruised all down my left side.

Mr Spear is off work due to his injuries and is out of pocket for damage to the bike and his phone. 

"The back wheel of my bike’s knackered, the gears are falling off. I’ll have to get a new one, it’s not worth fixing," he explained.

The incident was reported to the police, and Mr Spear hopes footage from one of the CCTV cameras along Morlaix Avenue may help catch the driver. However, he also added he was yet to hear any progress into an investigation.