Friday, November 20, 2009

A Lawrence man has been charged in hit-and-run accident that killed a bicyclist in October.

Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson says 21-year-old Joel Hernandez was charged Thursday in the Oct. 16 death of 20-year-old Rachel Leek. She died after being hit while riding her bike in Lawrence.

Branson says police believe Hernandez was under the influence of alcohol when he hit Leek.

He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving the death of a person and failure to report an accident, both felonies; vehicular homicide, a misdemeanor; and improper passing, a traffic infraction.

Hernandez is being held in Douglas County Jail on $5,000 bond, pending a Dec. 2 hearing.