1 killed, 1 injured when pickup strikes pedestrians in bike lane, Belmont police say

UPDATE: Belmont police arrested Jacob John Valdez, 22, of Belmont, on July 25 in connection with the pedestrian death and have charged him with involuntary manslaughter and two counts of felony hit and run causing serious injury or death, officials said. The original story is below.

One person was killed and another was hurt when a pickup truck ”collided with two pedestrians” in Belmont, North Carolina, just west of Charlotte, according to the police.

The pickup sped away and the driver remains at large, the Belmont Police Department said in a news release.

Investigators identified the pedestrian who died as 22-year-old Christian Beatty.

It happened around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, July 23, on the 700 block of Catawba Street, officials said.

“A vehicle traveling west on Catawba Street ran off of the right side of the roadway and collided with two pedestrians who were walking west ... in the bike lane,” police said.

“One pedestrian has been treated for minor injuries. The second pedestrian ... was pronounced dead at the scene.”

The identity of the injured pedestrian was not released.

Investigators have described the pickup only as “dark colored.”

Anyone with information in the case is asked to call Traffic Officer Alejandro Valverde at 704-825-3792.

This story was originally published July 24, 2022 at 6:43 AM with the headline "1 killed, 1 injured when pickup strikes pedestrians in bike lane, Belmont police say."