A bicyclist riding along the coast in Huntington Beach was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver, and police arrested a suspect who a short time later crashed his car in Seal Beach.

The male cyclist, 63-year-old Roger Michael Lippman of Huntington Beach, was hit from behind as he rode north along Pacific Coast Highway next to Bolsa Chica Wetlands in an area known as “The Flats”.

Lippman’s mangled blue road bicycle could be seen in aerial video next to his body, which was covered in a yellow sheet on the side of the scenic roadway.

Lippman was struck at 11:40 a.m. on a stretch between Seapoint Street and Warner Avenue, south of the entrance to Bolsa Chica State Beach. Both the cyclist and vehicle were headed northbound, police said.

Authorities immediately notified nearby law enforcement agencies they were searching for a gray Hyundai hatchback, after witnesses said they saw such a car flee the scene with windshield damage.

Shortly after the hit-and-run in Huntington Beach, a car matching that description veered off the road and collided with a fence surrounding the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, on Westminster Boulevard at Kitts Highway. That crash occurred just a few miles to the north of the initial fatal crash.

The driver, who had a bloodied face, was taken in handcuffs to a Huntington Beach patrol car, as shown at right below. He was identified as Joel Alexander Murphy, 27, of Mission Viejo. 

Murphy was later arrested and is being held at the Huntington Beach jail on suspicion of felony hit and run, felony driving under the influence, felony vehicular manslaughter and for violating his probation, according to a press release from the police department.

The car, which was still being examined by investigators at 5 p.m., is registered to a 59-year-old Anaheim woman. It’s not clear yet what her relationship to Murphy is.

Police cautioned that the investigation was still evolving.

Cause of the Huntington Beach Crash

If news accounts of this incident are accurate, the 27 year old driver  is likely responsible for the incident. While this devastating Orange County accident on June 22 remains under investigation, the family members of those accident victims who were seriously injured would be well-advised to speak with an understanding and knowledgeable Orange County wrongful death lawyer. An attorney such as Gary A. Kessler who has successfully handled serious injury accidents can advise the victim’s family of their legal rights to hold the driver accountable and best course of action should they wish to pursue a wrongful death claim.

Alcohol  impaired driving accidents and wrongful death liability

The Los Angeles wrongful death attorney Gary A Kessler and the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler are compassionate and fully understand that you are attempting to cope with extreme grief and sorrow associated with the loss of a loved one.  The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler carefully selects its wrongful death cases so that we may give you (the client) the substantial personal attention necessary to obtain a successful result for your wrongful death case.

The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler is prepared to front all costs required for a thorough investigation and expert witnesses to prepare for trial of your case.  As in all wrongful death and serious personal injury cases, we advance all legal costs to prepare and present our client’s claim, and receive for our services only a percentage of what we recover for our attorney fees on their behalf.  Upon settlement our costs shall be reimbursed to us from the gross recovery.  If there is no recovery, no attorneys fees or costs are owed to our firm.