62-Year-Old Cyclist Dead After Driver Ran Him Over 3 Times

A 62-year-old Utah bicyclist has died after he was run over by the same driver three times on “accident” last month.

As ABC 4 Utah reported, Warren Yoshio Watanabe was struck outside the entrance of a restaurant by a 77-year-old woman, who failed to notice him as she pulled out of the parking lot. The Roy, Utah Police department said that on Sept. 20 the woman hit the bicyclist as he was riding on the sidewalk, then backed up and drove forward again, running him over as he was lying on the ground. She reversed for a third and final time, hitting him again, per the police warrant.

It was only at this point she noticed she had hit someone, and got out of the car to call 911. Watanabe was taken to the hospital shortly after, suffering from 14 broken ribs, a damaged liver, shattered kidney, and breathing difficulties. He died five days later, on Sept. 25. Police involved with the investigation and the manager of Warren’s Family Restaurant, which recorded the incident on security cameras, believe the driver did not intentionally run Watanabe over.

Police and prosecutors are currently reviewing evidence in Watanabe’s death to determine whether the 77-year-old will face charges. 

“There is no indication or any belief that this was anything other than an accident,” Roy, Utah police spokesman Stuart Hackworth told the Standard-Examiner. “She was not aware of what she had hit.”