1 year after London, Ont., cyclist killed in hit and run, police and community still looking for answers

One year after a cyclist was struck and killed in east London, Ont., police still haven't been able to identify any suspects, and have re-released video surveillance footage in hopes of getting more information about the fatal hit and run. 

Jibin Benoy, 29, was riding his bike home after a night shift at a downtown restaurant on Sept. 18, 2022, when he was hit by a two-door blue sedan travelling eastbound on Hamilton Road in the curb lane approaching Inkerman Street, at around 4:40 a.m. ET.

"I don't understand how someone can do something like that and just stay quiet even if it was an accident," said Essam Hamou, Benoy's former co-worker at Kluck It. "It's just very unfortunate that one year has passed and there haven't been any leads, and no one has spoken about it."

The suspect vehicle had a loud muffler and damage to the passenger side, windshield and bumper, according to police. Investigators believe there were three or four people in the car when the crash happened, said city police Const. Matthew Dawson.

"Investigations like this are multifaceted and there's no time frame placed on getting to successful resolution. We continue to review the investigation and speak to people who may have been involved, and the ultimate outcome is obviously community safety," he said. 

On Monday, London police re-released images and issued a call for the public to come forward with information. 

"The re-releasing of this information is to hopefully renew the public's interest in this case to possibly bring new information forward that would assist in the investigation."  

Benoy, an international student in his second-year at Fanshawe College, moved to London from Kerala, India, and had been planning to bring his wife here to start a life together in Canada. 

Road safety an 'ongoing problem'

Benoy's death sparked outrage from the cycling community, which has been advocating for improved cycling infrastructure throughout the city.

"It's very sad that something like that can happen, but we need to ask why this happened in the first place," said cycling advocate Luis Patricio. "Obviously there's a responsibility on the person who was driving the car that hit Jibin, but also the responsibility of those who design roads that allow these things to happen."

A year after the fatal incident, road safety on Hamilton Road continues to be an ongoing problem, Patricio said, adding it discourages people from riding their bikes.

"Those of us who cannot drive a car for whatever reason also don't feel comfortable riding a bike because we know these things can happen and it's a dangerous situation for us," he said.

"What really scares me is that Hamilton Road is still the same and this is something that can happen again."

The street falls under the ward of Coun. Hadleigh McAlister, who said he's working on making safety improvements. So far, more crosswalks have been added and lines have been repainted on Hamilton Road. 

"This is an issue that we take very seriously and we are making inroads in terms of making it safer but it will take some time," McAlister said.

"Any death on the road is a tragedy and we are trying to design roads to share with everyone because we recognize people get around the city in different ways, but everyone needs to have their space on the road respected."

Patricio is helping organize a "ghost bike ride" on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the intersection where Benoy was struck, in memorial of his death anniversary and to bring awareness mobility injustice for cyclists.

In the meantime, his friend Hamou said he hopes police are able to make an arrest soon. He wants Benoy to be remembered as "a funny and goal-oriented person who was amazing to be around."