PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office needs your help tracking down a hit-and-run driver who deputies said killed a man from Lake Worth Beach.
The crash happened March 11 along Cochran Drive and 12th Avenue, right outside United Methodist Church.
A growing memorial has been set up, where friends have dropped of flowers and cards.
Deputies said the driver of a 2004 Toyota Matrix tried to make a left turn, but because he was speeding, ended up driving off the road and crashing into the church where Jim Beloian was on his bike.
Witnesses said Beloian had just stopped to talk with someone while out on a bike ride.
Longtime friends said Beloian was an accomplished cyclist having biked all throughout the country and had a passion for people riding his bike, something he did six days a week.
Beloian lived in Lake Worth Beach since the 90s and before that he worked in Wisconsin as a historian and boat captain.
"It’s pretty obvious that it was too late to do CPR. I’m sure he was killed on impact, but he brought so much to this world," said friend Kathleen Kramer.
"The guy is a phenomenal bike rider. That's all he loved to do, go to the beach every day, over the bridge, then he would come around the Lake Osbourne. That was his passion to ride bicycles," said friend Marty Delarosa.
According to the crash report, the driver and one of the passengers ran away after the crash, while two other passengers stayed behind and talked to deputies, but did not release the name of the person who was behind the wheel.
If you have any information you're urged to call Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County.