On a quiet Friday evening in the Hillview neighborhood of Santa Elena, what should have been a routine bicycle ride for 55-year-old Cheryl August devolved into a life-altering tragedy, leaving her family fighting for justice after the driver who struck her fled the scene and was later released on bail.
August, a dedicated Jehovah’s Witness who regularly relied on her bicycle to travel to worship services and visit fellow congregation members, sustained severe head and body injuries when the collision occurred. While she has escaped broken bones and the initial CT scan results have been deemed stable, she faces a long, painful road to recovery: she suffers from widespread bruising and abrasions across her head and body, and has a confirmed fracture to a nasal gland that requires ongoing clinic visits for medication and wound dressing changes.
In an interview following the crash, August’s daughter Celine Baird described how the incident has completely upended her family’s daily life, emphasizing that her mother’s reputation as an exceptionally cautious rider makes the incident even more upsetting. “Everyone in Santa Elena knows my mom always wears full reflective gear, stays on the correct side of the road, and takes every possible precaution to stay safe,” Baird explained. “That’s why we can’t understand how the driver failed to see her. The crash was head-on, which leaves only two explanations: the driver was distracted, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”
What has compounded the family’s anger and grief is the driver’s choice to abandon August at the scene rather than stopping to provide assistance. According to information received by the family, law enforcement had to locate and apprehend the suspect at their own home after they fled. Baird noted that as a devout Christian, August would likely urge the family to show forgiveness, but that is a position her children cannot bring themselves to take.
“If the driver had stopped, called for help, and taken my mom to the hospital, we could have believed it was a terrible accident and that they were truly sorry,” Baird said. “But leaving her injured on the side of the road to save yourself is unforgivable.” The family’s frustration has been amplified further by the news that the suspect was released on police bail shortly after being taken into custody, leaving them without the accountability they say they desperately need as August continues her grueling recovery.