A Florida cyclist somehow escaped with only minor injuries after police say a driver intentionally struck them while they were leaving a restaurant parking lot. The bicycle itself was not nearly as fortunate, with the Clermont Police Department saying in a Facebook post that it was destroyed in the collision.
Clermont officers responded to the incident at 1606 Hammock Ridge Road on September 6, 2026. Police identified the driver as Tyler Sandor and said he and the cyclist knew each other before the encounter.
According to police, Sandor intentionally drove his vehicle into the victim as the cyclist was leaving the parking lot. Despite the force of the collision being enough to destroy the bike, police said the victim did not require hospitalization.
Sandor did not remain at the scene after the crash, according to the department. Clermont Police said officers from the neighboring Mascotte Police Department later located and stopped the fleeing vehicle.
Police Say the Driver and Cyclist Knew Each Other
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The department did not provide additional details about what led up to the encounter or explain the relationship between Sandor and the victim. What police did make clear, however, was that investigators believe the collision was intentional rather than an accident.
The victim’s condition could have been significantly worse, considering the difference between a vehicle and a bicycle. Clermont Police described officers as “incredibly relieved” that the cyclist suffered only minor injuries despite the bicycle being destroyed.
Sandor was arrested on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and hit and run with property damage. Those charges are accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
A Destroyed Bike but No Hospital Stay
Clermont Police thanked the Mascotte Police Department for quickly locating and stopping the vehicle after Sandor left the scene. The department also credited cooperation between local agencies and the community for helping officers make the arrest.
We also checked Sandor’s information against the inmate records currently available through Clermont Police and could not find a matching record. While that could indicate Sandor has since bonded out or otherwise been released from custody, his absence from the available records alone does not confirm the circumstances of his release.
The case stands out largely because of the unusually fortunate outcome for the cyclist. Police say the victim was intentionally hit by a vehicle, lost their bicycle entirely, and still managed to avoid injuries serious enough to require a trip to the hospital.