Top things to know
- Joseph Paratore, 40, a father of two, was killed while cycling on North Lake Road in Bibra Lake, Perth, about 5:20am on Tuesday.
- Craig Daniel Strawbridge has been charged with failing to stop and ensure assistance and failure to report an incident occasioning death; he was remanded in custody.
- Police seized a white Toyota Prado allegedly involved in the crash and are continuing to investigate.
- WestCycle CEO Wayne Bradshaw said it was the sixth cycling death in Western Australia this year, against an average of four.
- Cycling group member Jeff Grbelja paid tribute to Mr Paratore as a "loving husband and a devoted father".
A 40-year-old father of two has been identified as the cyclist killed in a hit-and-run crash in Perth's southern suburbs, with the alleged driver now charged and remanded in custody.Joseph Paratore was riding his bike north on North Lake Road in Bibra Lake, just before the intersection of Sobek Pass, on Tuesday morning when he was struck by a white Toyota Prado four-wheel drive about 5:20am, police said. He died at the scene. Police said he was riding in a painted shoulder suitable for cyclists.The alleged driver, Craig Daniel Strawbridge, was arrested later in the day in the nearby suburb of Yangebup, about 18 kilometres south of the Perth CBD, after police held a media conference appealing for witnesses while the driver had been at large for more than 24 hours. He has been charged with failing to stop and ensure assistance and failure to report an incident occasioning death. He faced Fremantle Magistrates Court on Thursday morning, nodded to indicate he understood the charges, and was remanded in custody to appear again next month after his lawyer did not apply for bail. Police said they had seized the white Toyota Prado allegedly involved and were continuing to investigate.Jeff Grbelja, who was part of the same cycling group as Mr Paratore, described him as a "loving husband and a devoted father". "Joseph embraced cycling because he wanted to improve his health and fitness and, most importantly, live a long and healthy life with his family," Mr Grbelja said. "He often told me that cycling had saved his life. Those words are particularly heartbreaking now."WestCycle CEO Wayne Bradshaw said Mr Paratore's death marked the sixth cycling death in Western Australia this year, compared to an average of four a year. He said the state's safe passing laws had "not really been effective" and called for a discussion on presumed liability. Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the government was "always continuing to look at how we can improve the safety of our cyclists", highlighting dedicated paths and separating cyclists from cars where possible.












