Bethel Police who investigated the fatal bicycle accident that killed Thomas Steinert-Threlkeld at about 2:42 p.m. on Oct. 20 found seven witnesses to the accident and two who saw a white male in his 20's drive away from the intersection.
The Arrest Warrant Affidavit charging Alexander Lee, 21, of Bethel, with failure to stop, said he drove into the intersection of Old Hawleyville Road and Route 302 and suddenly attempted to turn onto Old Hawleyville Road. In the intersection, he was struck by Steinert-Threlkeld's bicycle. He then drove away on Old Hawleyville Road.
Police charged Lee with evading responsibility in a motor vehicle crash resulting in death, improper left turn, misconduct with a motor vehicle, and tampering with evidence.
Immediately after Lee's car cleared the intersection, a second car drove through the intersection and ran over Steinert-Threlkeld, who was laying on the road, the Affidavit said.
Police said Lee didn't bring his car back to Bethel for several days after the accident, and he tried to remove the dent from the rear passenger side quarter panel using tools from an auto shop. Police found the car in Brookfield on Oct. 25, five days after the accident, and moved it to the Bethel Police Department to preserve evidence.
Lee told police on Oct. 25 he thought the bicycle hit his car on Oct. 20, but he was scared so he drove away, the Affadavit said. It said Lee did not make any attempt between Oct. 20 and Oct. 25 to contact the police until they interviewed him on Oct. 25.
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