AUSTIN, MINNESOTA — Police in a nearby southern Minnesota community are searching for a driver after a 10-year-old child riding a bicycle was seriously injured in a hit-and-run crash.
The Austin Police Department said officers responded at approximately 3:38 p.m. on May 27 to the 1300 block of 4th Avenue SE for a vehicle-versus-bicycle hit-and-run.
The department’s media release was dated May 27, 2026, though the incident date in the release appears to contain a 2025 typo.
According to Austin police, the suspect vehicle was described as a dark-colored passenger car. The vehicle fled the scene before officers arrived.
Police said the suspect vehicle is believed to have front-end damage on the passenger side.
Officers arrived and found a 10-year-old victim who had suffered serious injuries. Austin police officers and the Austin Fire Department administered medical care at the scene before Mayo Clinic Ambulance arrived, took over treatment and transported the child.
The investigation remains ongoing, with assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the crash, the suspect vehicle or the driver to contact the Austin Police Department at 507-437-9400.
No arrest had been announced in the initial release.
The case is a grim reminder of the danger faced by bicyclists and pedestrians, especially children, when drivers fail to stop after a crash. Police are urging the public to come forward with any information that could help identify the vehicle involved.