Cyclists in SLT hit by suspected drunken driver

A suspected drunken driver struck a group of cyclists riding west on Highway 50 near Lodi Avenue in South Lake Tahoe this morning.

The two cyclists who were hit refused medical treatment.

The driver of the small Ford SUV, according to a witness, switched lanes, accelerated and never stopped to see what he had done.

According to law enforcement, Charles English, 27, was located at his house in South Lake Tahoe and arrested on two felony driving under the influence charges, including causing bodily injury. Bail was set at $150,000.

“That was not an accident; he did that on purpose,” a woman who witnessed the incident just before 11am Sept. 10 told Lake Tahoe News. “They were on their side of the bike lane and he purposefully turned into them. He had the front end of his car in their lane.”

She said it looked like six of the cyclists went down; adding that the group was all dressed alike as if they were a team.

Sunday is the annual Tour de Tahoe bike ride around the lake. More cyclists than usual have been on area roads training for the 72-mile event.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report