ELKHART COUNTY — A motorist suspected in a pre-dawn hit-and-run accident involving a bicyclist near Nappanee has been arrested.

Gerardo Fuentes Cortez, 49, Goshen, was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 15, in connection with the crash. He has been charged with leaving the scene of a serious bodily injury crash.

The accident occurred at about 4:36 a.m. on CR 7, north of CR 52, near Nappanee.

The vehicle Cortez was driving allegedly struck the back of a bicycle operated by Kaitlin Troyer, 17, Nappanee. She suffered head injuries, broken ribs and lacerations and was flown to Memorial Hospital in South Bend.