Public's Help Sought In Finding Mission Hit-And-Run Driver Who Injured Cyclist

Public's Help Sought In Finding Mission Hit-And-Run Driver Who Injured Cyclist1072 Potrero Ave., where Dana Cray Fernie was struck on Tuesday night. (Photo: Courtesy of AnnaGrace Arnold)
V. Alexandra de F. Szoenyi
Published on December 02, 2016

The friends of a cyclist who was struck and injured by a hit-and-run driver in the Mission are seeking the public's help in finding the culprit.

On Tuesday night, sometime between 10:15 and 10:27pm, 29-year-old Dana Cray Fernie was riding on Potrero Avenue between 22nd and 23rd streets when she was hit by a dark blue, late-model Mini Cooper. Bystanders took her to nearby Zuckerberg General Hospital, where she was treated for a major concussion, a laceration on the top of her head that required 10 stitches, and serious road rash and bruising.

Dana Cray Fernie in the hospital. | Photo: Courtesy of AnnaGrace Arnold

Fernie, who rides on Potrero almost daily, "was headed home from a movie and in the bike lane when she was struck," said her friend AnnaGrace Arnold, who noted that the accident occurred just outside 1072 Potrero Ave. "Because of the concussion, Dana still doesn't have a solid memory of the events of the past few days. [But] from witness accounts, it appears the driver fled immediately."

One of the bystanders who helped Fernie was able to retrieve a side mirror from the car, which broke off when it struck her. The mirror allowed for positive identification of the car as a dark blue, late-model Mini Cooper.

Fernie’s boyfriend Dan has spoken to Sergeant Aaron Fischer of the SFPD, and was able to find a couple of security cameras from Zuckerberg General that may have captured the crime on tape. One commenter on Arnold’s Facebook page also mentioned that a friend saw an overturned Mini Cooper on Thursday morning, but it's unclear if there's any connection between the two incidents. 

Fernie, who was released from the hospital on Wednesday morning, was unable to speak to us, as she's still recovering from her injuries. However, Arnold said that “she's expressed unyielding gratitude to the people who helped her at the scene.” One bystander, Lisa, who lives close to the scene of the collision, safeguarded Fernie’s bicycle in her apartment, and has helped Fernie's friends with their investigation.

Arnold is asking neighbors to keep an eye out for a dark blue, late-model Mini Cooper missing a side mirror, whether in an auto-body shop or on the street. If you see the car or have any other pertinent information, contact the SFPD and/or DM her directly on Twitter @AnnaGrace_A