A hit-and-run suspect was caught one week after he slammed his motorcycle into a three-wheel bicycle, killing the cyclist, police said yesterday.
The accident happened on August 31 about 10pm on the crossing of Beiqing Highway and Shengli Road in Qingpu District. The cyclist died en route to hospital. The motorcyclist fled before police arrived.
Heavy rain washed away most traces of the collision, forcing police to rely on the damaged vehicles for clues.
Police said they were unable to find any witnesses.
Investigators reviewed recent surveillance videos at the two nearest entry-exit highway inspection stations in the district. They found no record of the motorcycle driving in or out of the city.
The police then deduced the hit-and-run suspect lived and worked in Qingpu.
Other investigators asked nearby residents for clues. One discovered damage traces on a vehicle on September 5. Police traced the motorcycle's owner, whom they only identified by his surname Yang, on September 6.
Yang was still in a hospital receiving treatment for a head injury when police apprehended the suspect.
The vehicle owner allegedly confessed to police.
Police also announced yesterday that there were both fewer accident-related deaths and road accidents last month compared with July.
In August, 98 people died in road mishaps, down 27.94 percent from July. Another 778 were injured, police said.
The number of accidents also dropped from July, but the percentage was considerably smaller, police said.