Police have charged a man over the hit-and-run that killed cyclist Joseph Paratore on North Lake Road in Bibra Lake on Tuesday morning, two days after the 40-year-old father of two died at the scene.
The alleged driver, also 40, was arrested in Yangebup, the suburb next door to where the crash happened. He has been charged with failing to stop and ensure assistance, and with failing to report an incident occasioning death. He was refused bail and is due to appear in Fremantle Magistrates Court today, Thursday 22 October 2026.
Police say they have seized the vehicle allegedly involved and are still investigating. The man has not been named, and the charges have not been tested in court.
What police say happened
Mr Paratore was riding north on North Lake Road at about 5.20am on Tuesday 20 October, in the painted shoulder just before the Sobek Pass intersection, when he was hit from behind by a four-wheel drive. He died at the scene.
Detectives say the vehicle did not stop. It kept travelling north and then turned through a series of nearby streets. Investigators found part of an outside mirror at the scene and said the impact happened at what they described as a reasonably high speed.
On Wednesday, police released CCTV from a nearby business that shows Mr Paratore riding past with his front light on. Moments after he leaves the frame, a white four-wheel drive speeds through the same shot. Detective Senior Sergeant Hugh Le Tessier and his team appealed for the driver of a white Toyota Prado with front-end damage to come forward, and asked anyone with dash cam footage from the area to contact them.
The West Australian reported early on Thursday that police had released new details about the vehicle and were still urging the driver to hand themselves in. WAtoday and the ABC then reported the arrest and charges.
Who Joseph Paratore was
Mr Paratore was a husband and the father of two young boys. He was general manager of Southern Steel WA in Hope Valley and a well-known face in Perth's road cycling community. Friends described him as larger than life.
Fellow rider Jeff Grbelja told the ABC that Mr Paratore had taken up cycling to get fit and healthy.
"He often told me that cycling had saved his life." — Jeff Grbelja, cycling friend, to the ABC
By Wednesday, flowers had been left under a tree near the crash site, with a bike helmet hung from one of its branches. At the family's request, the ABC has not published his photograph.
Why it matters
WestCycle chief executive Wayne Bradshaw says Mr Paratore's death is the sixth cycling death in WA this year. The state usually averages about four. Mr Bradshaw told the ABC that WA's minimum passing distance law has not done enough to protect riders. He wants a discussion about presumed liability, which would make a driver prove they were not at fault in a crash with a cyclist.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti did not commit to looking at that change. She said the focus should stay on building dedicated paths and separating bikes from cars where possible.
North Lake Road is a busy commuter and freight route through the City of Cockburn. Many riders use it before dawn, when Mr Paratore was riding.
What happens next
The accused is expected to make his first appearance in Fremantle Magistrates Court today. A first appearance is usually brief, and more serious charges can be added as an investigation goes on. Police are still asking anyone who saw the white four-wheel drive on North Lake Road or the surrounding streets early on Tuesday 20 October, or who has dash cam or CCTV footage, to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Sources: ABC News, 22 October 2026; ABC News, 21 October 2026; WAtoday on X; The West Australian on X.
Photo: LuvsMG481 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). A file photo of a WA Police car, not a vehicle involved in this case.
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