US teens facing murder charges after fatal hit and run on cyclist

A pair of US teenagers are facing murder charges after driving their car into a cyclist in Las Vegas and capturing the incident in a horrific video.

Sixty-four year-old Andreas Probst was killed after being struck by the teens' vehicle, and Las Vegas police say they have now linked them to at least three hit and run incidents on the morning of 14 August.

Police believe the death of Probst brought their violent rampage to an end.

After capturing the 17 year-old driver on the same day, Police recently issued an appeal for more information on the car’s passenger who filmed the sickening footage as the teens drove at speed into Probst.

However, according to a report from Sky News the second teen was arrested on Tuesday after month-long manhunt.

Local deputy police chief Nick Farese called the hit and run an “appalling” and “cowardly” act.

"They took off laughing, leaving him [Probst] for dead on the side of a road,” Farese said.

Clark County district attorney Steve Wolfson vowed to charge both of the teenagers as adults but confirmed that it would not be possible to release information on their identities until then.

“Justice will be served in this case,” Wolfson said.

Probst had a 35-year-career in law enforcement in California, including as police chief of Bell, an unincorporated city in Los Angeles county. He retired in 2009 and moved to Las Vegas where he then took up cycling to maintain fitness. 

On 7 September, local people gathered at the scene of the fatal incident to erect a memorial to Probst - a permanently installed bike painted white - to mark the scene where he died.

There have been a recent series of similar incidents in the United States.

Last week the Huntington Beach Police Department in California announced the arrest of a driver connected to "a series of intentional hit-and-run incidents," all involving cyclists.

The driver struck three people on bicycles on three separate occasions in Huntington Beach, injuring two and killing one. The deceased victim was later identified as 70-year-old Steven Gonzales, a local resident in the area.

"I would like to commend the detectives who investigated these terrible crimes for their tireless work in apprehending a dangerous suspect," said Huntington Beach Chief of Police Eric Parra. "I would also like to thank the public for their tips and support as we searched for the perpetrator. The safety of our City is our top priority, and I want to reassure the community that they are safe."