Teen driver who targeted cyclists charged with six counts of attempted murder

A teenager in South Carolina has been charged with six counts of attempted murder for targeting cyclists, including trying to run them off the road with his car.

Police say the apparent motive was that he blamed bike riders for a car crash in which two of his friends died, reports WYFF News.

However an investigation into that incident said cyclists weren’t to blame, and that the pair – Josey Cox, aged 17, and Michael Arrowood, 19 – died because the latter lost control of the car he was driving and hit a tree.

Despite that finding, the unnamed 16-year-old continued to hold cyclists responsible for his friends’ deaths, aiming fireworks at people on bikes and trying to run them off the road.

Members of Greenville Spinners Bicycle Club began to post warnings on Facebook about a specific motorist apparently targeting riders, leading to a county sheriffs’ office investigator who is a member of the club commencing inquiries.

The alleged assaults, which began last December, are said to have been both verbal and physical in nature including riders being spat at, having fireworks aimed at them, and being driven at, with 11 separate victims identified.

Because of his age, the teenager’s name cannot be released, but he has been charged with six counts of attempted murder, as well as other offences including assault & battery and taunting cyclists.