Overview
- A vehicle struck a group of about 30 cyclists during a self-coordinated Halloween ride on Kingsley Street, and one rider was pronounced dead at the scene with a second dying at a hospital hours later after the Saturday night collision.
- Neighbors and surveillance footage helped police identify and find 38-year-old Valentin Alberto Rodriguez at his nearby home, and he was arrested and booked on suspected DUI, felony hit-and-run, and gross vehicular manslaughter charges.
- Two other riders were hurt: one was hospitalized with major injuries and is in stable condition, and a fourth suffered a minor head wound and declined additional treatment.
- Some witnesses and outlets reported that a victim was dragged after the crash, but Montclair police have not confirmed that account and investigators say the probe is ongoing.
- The ride was not city-sponsored and police are asking anyone with video or information to contact Montclair detectives, a development that could shape charges and local calls for street-safety measures during holiday group rides.