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A retired police chief of the Bell, California, police department, Andreas Probst was fatally injured in a hit-and-run case while riding his mountain bike on August 14, 2023. Probst was riding his mountain bike in the bike lane at around 6 am when he was hit by a 2016 Hyundai Elantra being driven by a 17-year-old and had a few others in the car as well.
Trigger warning: This article contains some graphic content and may have videos showing an accident. Discretion is advised.
A video surfaced on the internet showing the moment of impact and one of the suspected perpetrators sitting in the car filming the entire incident. When netizens saw the video, they were outraged and took to social media to post their reactions to Andreas' death. While some condemned the driver, others said that people were mourning the retired police chief's loss, with one person even saying:
The 17-year-old has since been caught and was taken to a juvenile detention center. Reportedly, the Metropolitan Police Department has determined that the accident near Tenaya Way and Centennial Parkway was intentional.
Details about the Andreas Probst hit-and-run case
Andreas Probst, former police chief of Bell, California retired in 2009 before moving to northwest Las Vegas. He was riding his bike on August 14, 2023, when he was struck by a speeding car on North Tenaya Way, near West Centennial Parkway.
Andreas' daughter reportedly Taylor Probst received an alert about his Apple Watch showing that he had fallen, according to KSNV. Taylor and her mother, Crystal Probst then rushed to the area of the accident which was only 3 miles from their home.
Crystal discussed the incident in an interview with the local news channels. She said that when she saw the scene of the incident, she knew it wasn't good.
"I come from law enforcement as well in my younger days. I was able to ascertain, there’s his bike, his helmet is way over there, his phone is way over there," Probst's wife added.
Andreas Probst was pronounced dead at the University Medical Center, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The Metropolitan Police Department is adding the charge of an open murder count after they acquired the video of the driver committing the crime. The 17-year-old was caught soon after the crash but details about them have not been disclosed due to his age.
In the footage, the driver and their friend are seen taking a joyride along the road when they hit a car at first that was trying to change lanes. The pair spotted Andreas Probst who was cycling along the lane. The video shows the driver asking their passenger if they were ready and the latter responded with:
"Yeah, hit his a**."
Netizens were deeply affected by the news and the viral footage showing the accident.
The minor who hit Andreas is currently held in the Juvenile Detention Center. There have not been any charges made against the boy in the passenger seat.
Memorial held for Andreas Probst
The Southern Nevada cycling and law enforcement communities joined Andreas Probst's family as they talked about his life. According to 8 News Now, his daughter Taylor spoke about the retired police chief during an interview and said that being around Andreas was like "being next to a ray of sunshine." She added that he father was always laughing, smiling, offering people support, life or even career advise.
She concluded her speech by saying,
“He was truly one of the best. And he will be deeply, deeply missed."
The Ghost Bikes Las Vegas is an association that installed a white bike at the crash site in memory of Andreas Probst. They are a team that organizes ceremony events for all cyclists struck by motor vehicles.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Probst would have celebrated the 35th wedding anniversary next month with his wife, Crystal. Their son, Michael Probst, the oldest, had visited the couple's place last week for dinner at Downtown Summerlin. The family had hosted their friends for a week to play golf and enjoy an Alaskan cruise during the summer.
