A bicyclist was struck late Friday afternoon on South Pacific Highway in Medford and died at the scene, and the driver of the vehicle was located and detained, police said.

Medford police responded to the incident near Garfield Street and South Pacific Highway, and at one point, traffic on the highway was closed in both directions. 

“Preliminary investigation and witness statements indicate that the bicyclist was traveling southbound in the designated bike lane when a vehicle, also heading southbound, drifted into the bike lane, striking the bicyclist. The driver of the vehicle did not stop and fled the scene,” police said in a news release.

Officers quickly located the suspect vehicle in a nearby parking lot and detained the driver, according to police.

“Despite officers’ immediate response and attempts at life-saving measures on the bicyclist, the individual was pronounced deceased at the scene by responding medical personnel,” the release said.

The Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) Team was activated to assist with the investigation, and traffic on South Pacific Highway was affected well into the evening.

Police had not identified the driver or the bicyclist as of Sunday morning. In the release, police said, “This is an ongoing investigation, and no further details are available at this time.”