A Bronx man has been arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that killed a 24-year-old bicyclist nearly a year ago, police announced Tuesday.
Edward Montero, 28, was taken into custody on Feb. 18 and charged with second-degree manslaughter and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting. His arrest follows an extensive investigation by the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad.
The crash occurred on the morning of Feb. 23, 2024, when officers responded to a report of a bicyclist struck at the intersection of Melrose Avenue and East 161st Street in the 42nd Precinct.
According to investigators, Montero was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee southbound on Melrose Avenue with a green light when a bicyclist, identified as Thierno Balde of Townsend Avenue, crossed eastbound after ignoring a steady red light. The vehicle struck Balde, a Guinean immigrant, and fled the scene.
Balde was transported by EMS to NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, where he was pronounced dead.
Montero, who lives on Washington Avenue in the Bronx, was identified as the driver following months of investigation. Authorities have not disclosed how they linked him to the crash.
The case remains under investigation by the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad.
