Clovis mom searching for driver who hit 15-year-old daughter on bike

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Clovis mom is calling on the community to help find the driver who hit her daughter as she biked to school.

On Tuesday morning, 15-year-old Bella Reynaud did hopped on her bike and left for school.

Normally she would take the bike trail but that morning she was running late.

So, she made her way down Nees.

The ride usually takes about 30 minutes but 10 minutes after she left, Bella called her mom, who picked up in a panic.

"Immediately when I saw the phone ring my heart sank because I thought 'Oh my gosh, is she okay?' and then it was her on the phone and it was 'Mom, I'm okay, but I was in an accident,' recalled Courtney Reynaud, Bella's mom.

Courtney was worried but relieved that Bella was seemingly okay and talking.

She rushed out the door without any hesitation to Nees and Renn.

"It probably took me fifteen minutes, but it felt like it took an hour," said Courtney.

When she got there, she found Bella surrounded by neighbors, who patched up her minor scrapes with band aids, but her bike was split in two.

Bella and neighbors told Courtney a man in a dark green SUV hit the teen and then drove off.

"There was one woman, she didn't witness him hit her, but she arrived when she was still on the ground and her bike was still in the street and so she saw the vehicle and she saw the man get out and check his car to make sure that it was okay and she saw him drive off without checking on Bella," Courtney said.

"I'm literally here with my bike in two pieces, and you're looking at your car," Bella said.

Although Bella took a tumble, Courtney believes her gymnastics training helped her make a smoother landing.

"I just made sure to land on my back instead of on my arm and just rolled over onto my feet and got up as fast as I could," Bella said.

If the driver had stopped and exchanged information with Bella, Clovis police say he may have avoided charges.

"If they had stayed there and given their insurance information it would not have been a crime, it would have just been a traffic collision," said Clovis Police Sgt. Abby Padgett.

"As of right now because there were no injuries were reported to us that would be a misdemeanor hit and run charge."

When Steven's Bicycles found out about the crash, they put in a rush order to fix the bike for Bella.

Courtney says she'll probably still let Bella bike to school but with restrictions.

"Not this week and certainly only on the trail," Courtney said.

Bella has her own message for cyclists and drivers.

"Wear your helmet and watch where you're going," Bella said.

Courtney has posted pictures of the bike and about the crash online, hoping someone has information to help police.

She says she'll let the justice system take its course but what she really wants is the driver to apologize to her daughter.

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