$6,000 reward offered for information on suspect in deadly hit and run

BALTIMORE -- Baltimore Police have released pictures of a suspect vehicle in the city's second deadly hit-and-run this year.

Metro Crime Stoppers is now also offering a reward of up to $6,000 for information that can lead to an arrest.

Officers responded to the intersection of Franklin and Payson streets in West Baltimore Sunday around 12:30 a.m., according to police. There they found bicyclist Avery Cheley, 47, after he'd been hit by a car.

In new pictures, police say the car that hit Cheley was a 2017-2022 black Infiniti Q60. Instead of stopping after hitting Cheley, the driver kept going on Franklin Street.

The car should have front end damage consistent with striking a bicyclist, according to police.

Medics tried to save Cheley's life, but he died at the intersection.

When WJZ was around the intersection Monday, several neighbors told WJZ it was a dangerous intersection. One neighbor told reporter Dennis Valera he'd often see speeding and other scary driving behavior there.

A person was hit-and-killed in that same intersection back in 2022, according to the city's Department of Transportation.

Jed Weeks, interim executive director of advocacy organization Bikemore, said there isn't enough throughout the city to protect bicyclists.

Bikemore is an organization trying to make the city's streets safer for everyone.

"The best thing we can do is build infrastructure, like [bike lanes], for all ages and abilities. Stuff that separates people biking from motor vehicle traffic with a physical barrier," Weeks said. "That's shown to double safety on our roadways, for people biking and also for people driving."

Weeks also encourages the city to look into installing more technology to catch bad behavior, like red light cameras.

Sunday's incident is Baltimore's second deadly hit-and-run this year. In 2023, there were nine, while there were eight in 2022.

You can call in tips to Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP or submit them online at the MCS of Maryland website.