Fullerton bicyclist sent flying after wrong-way crash

Cyclist sent flying in road rage hit-and-run

A driver went into oncoming traffic to mow down a man on a bicycle in Fullerton, sending him and his bike flying. Police are searching for the driver.

FULLERTON, Calif. - A Fullerton man was hit by a car earlier this week, when that car drove across lanes of traffic and hit him on his bicycle. Now, police are investigating the crash as intentional.

What we know:

It happened around 1:30 p.m. on Orangethorpe Avenue near Harbor Boulevard in Fullerton. Jesse Costello was riding his bike home from work.

Security footage from a nearby store showed the red car driving in the opposite lanes, sending Jesse and his bike flying.

"As a mom, you know, my heart just dropped," said Costello. "This is my son. This is my only child, and he could have been hurt so much worse."

What they're saying:

But Lori Costello, Jesse's mom, said that wasn't the first time the driver tried to hit her son.

According to Lori, this all started at a red light. She said that the driver of the red car stopped to flirt with a woman who was waiting at the light. When the light turned green, and the red car didn't move, Lori said her son tapped the bumper to get the driver's attention. The driver didn't like that.

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"He got upset and did a burnout and took off and turned around," Lori Costello said. "And my son was crossing the street when the guy came and tried to hit him from behind first."

Jesse was able to get out of the way the first time, and the second time, despite being thrown from his bike, Jesse was able to avoid major injuries. He had some bruised ribs and a swollen knee from slamming into the car.

What's next:

"We just want to try to find this guy," Costello said. She said she is speaking out not just for her son, but to stop this from happening again.

"I’m hoping to get this guy caught," she said. "I don’t want it to happen to somebody else and somebody else gets hurt even worse. I want justice for my son." 

The Fullerton Police Department is investigating the crash as intentional. Detectives are looking for other surveillance footage from the area, hoping to find the driver's license plate. Officials described the car as a red, two-door vehicle, possibly a Dodge Challenger.

Anyone with information about the crash should contact the Fullerton PD at (714) 738-6800.