PORTLAND, Ore. — A man riding a bicycle was hit and killed by a suspected drunk driver early Sunday morning in Southeast Portland, police said.
Portland police on Tuesday identified the bicyclist as 32-year-old Lance T. Hart.
The suspect, 21-year-old Nicholas P. Martinez, was arrested and faces charges of second-degree manslaughter, reckless driving and DUII.
The crash happened at 3:32 a.m. in the area of Southeast Flavel Street and Southeast 78th Avenue. Martinez stayed at the scene, police said.
According to court documents, A witness saw Martinez get into his car at 7-Eleven on the corner of Southeast 82nd Avenue and Flavel Street and drive away at a "high rate of speed." The witness heard a crash after the vehicle was out of sight and saw that it was the same car when he went to the crash scene.
Martinez told police that he had been drinking Sprite and tequila with a friend for most of the day and he had never drank tequila before, court documents said. While driving between 30-40 mph, Martinez told police he looked down to take a bite of his taquito and when he looked up the bicyclist was in the middle of the road.
Hart died at the scene.
If anyone has information about this incident, please call Portland police at 503-823-3333.