A cyclist has been hospitalised after a "hit-and-run" which saw her bike get caught under a car and dragged along near a busy roundabout.
Manali Patel was riding on the A41 when she was reportedly hit from behind and knocked to the ground by "a red car" at around 7am on Monday (October 7).
Later, in A&E, she described how her bike became caught under the vehicle and she was dragged “four or five metres” along the ground at the Hartspring Roundabout.
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The driver stopped at the scene and asked Manali if she was ok but, although the 27-year-old remembers being unable to respond due to shock, she drove off without calling for help or leaving any details.
Once she had got her bearings, the crash victim called police and her husband, Bhumin Trivebi, in tears before leaving her bike at the scene and getting a taxi to the hospital to avoid the wait for an ambulance.
Bhumin, who arrived in the UK from India with his wife around a year and a half ago, said he was “shocked” and “scared” when he got the call and rushed to the A41 straight away.
“I was so worried if she was ok or not,” he said, adding that he regularly passes through the roundabout and knows how busy it is.
“I didn’t know at that time how bad she was. It sounded really dangerous.”
As of Wednesday evening, the Hilton Watford worker remains in Watford General Hospital having suffered whiplash and injuries to her hips, back, hand, elbow, and ankle.
Doctors have apparently said it will take her two to three months to recover and told her to stay at home for a month once she gets out of hospital.
Herts Police visited Manali in hospital to take further details and have asked for any information about the driver to be reported to them.
A spokesperson said: “If you are the driver or have information, please contact police quoting ISR 92 of 7 October.”
Bhumin, 29, reiterated the appeal, urging anyone with information about the motorist to come forward.
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