Texas truck drivers arrested for killing cyclist and trying to dump his body in a ditch

Two men in Texas have been arrested on suspicion of hitting and killing a cyclist, then attempting to dump his body in a ditch.

The details of the incident are not yet clear, but early police reports said that the impact had sent the cyclists into the back of the pickup truck the men were driving - and they then fled with his body.

Eduardo Arguelles, 38, a keen cyclist, was hit by a white Ford F-150 truck at 4.15am when he was on an early morning training ride with his cycling buddy - ahead of another ride with a Facebook group he was a member of, entitled ‘5AM Wake Up Ride’.

Edward’s training partner found his friend’s bike, called 911 and alerted the Facebook group, whose members called hospitals and police in an attempt to find their friend.

Police arrived and tried to find the cyclist using police dogs, but two hours later found the two male suspects trying to dispose of Edward’s body in a drainage ditch, according to The Monitor.

One friend of the cyclist said: “People tell me that here in the Valley there is no respect for cyclists,.”

A co-worker, Linda Mares added: “He was just down the road from a hospital. They didn’t have to disrespect him like that.”

Edward worked as a computer user services specialist for Texas Pan Am university, and was also studying for a degree there.

He had worked to improve cycling facilities at the university, including installing bike repair stations.

Edward’s friends have set up a crowdfunding page to help his family cover funeral expenses, which had raised well over $17,000 yesterday.

Last week we reported another case of a cyclist in Australia who was catapulted into the back of a pickup truck in a hit and run collision. Happily he survived unscathed, but had to call the police to stop the truck as he was unable to attract the driver’s attention.