(BLOOMINGTON) – Monroe County Sheriff’s Department investigators are looking for the motorist that left the scene of a fatal hit-and-run accident on East State Road 45 and North Russel Road on Monday night.
A resident in the area told investigators he heard what sound like some type of crash in the area. About a half an hour later a female driver spotted the unresponsive man in the ditch.
Police say 41-year-old Michael Brooks was found severely injured. Monroe County Coroner Joani Shields says Brooks was transported to IU Health Bloomington Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:02 p.m.
The preliminary conclusion of an autopsy performed in Terre Haute on Tuesday indicates Brooks died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Bloomington police found Brooks’ bicycle 25 feet away from him.
“There was damage to the rear of the bicycle,” says Sheriff Brad Swan. “There’d be a strong chance that there would be some noticeable damage on the vehicle.”
Investigators are still trying to piece together what happened in this case and need the public’s help in locating who is responsible. If you have any information, call the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office at 812-349-2727.