Santa Cruz Police: Man wearing clown mask intentionally hit cyclist with his car

Santa Cruz police have arrested a man who they say intentionally struck a cyclist with his car last month while wearing a clown mask.

Jeremy Anecito, 28, was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail on suspicion of attempted homicide.

Anecito is accused of intentionally ramming his pickup into the cyclist on the morning of Sept. 24, said Deputy Police Chief Steve Clark.

The collision occurred as the truck was traveling eastbound on Soquel Avenue crossing the San Lorenzo River Bridge. The bicyclist was traveling eastbound along the westbound lanes, against the flow of traffic.

Witnesses reported that the pickup accelerated to the point of squealing tires and driving on the wrong side of the road to hit the bicyclist, Clark said.

The 39-year-old cyclist was dragged several yards by the vehicle. He suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital for treatment. Clark said he was in critical condition at one point but is believed to be recovering.

Officers used evidence from the scene, surveillance footage from nearby businesses and witness statements to track down the suspect vehicle, which was parked in a downtown garage. That led police to Anecito.

The vehicle and a clown mask found within have been taken in as evidence.

Clark said that police believe the incident was a case of mistaken identity and that Anecito was trying to hit someone else, but mistook the cyclist for that individual.

The case is still under investigation.