PLANO - One minute Debbie McGregor was training hard, the next she was lying broken and bleeding in the road.
Now, the race is on for justice as police search for the hit-and-run driver who left her in the street after she was hit by a car.
McGregor is in stable condition at Plano Presbyterian. Family and friends have been by her side.
Investigators have interviewed McGregor, but she doesn't remember much. They are struggling to find the driver who put her in the hospital.
Locked behind a fence at The Colony Police Department lies the only clue left behind in the hit and run, a bicycle split in half with it's rear tire twisted and broken. Also bruised and battered was the cyclist who survived the crash.
"She had a concussion ... a deep laceration on her left knee, but worst off she has a broken back," said Brian Brode, the victim's friend.
Around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night, a driver on Windhaven Parkway hit the triathlete from behind, slamming into her rear tire at 40 mph. She flew off the bike.
Investigators have found no skid marks at the scene and the driver never stopped.
"It's a tragedy," Brode said. "Whoever hit her didn't stop to render aid. He left her behind on the street."
Brode arrived at the crash five minutes after he finished his ride. He found his friend on the side of the road.
"I have trained with Debbie for a couple of years now and my heart sank," he said.
But with 40 triathlon finishes and one Ironman under her belt, McGregor's strength and spirit will help with her recovery, friends say.
"If her body heals, I know she will bounce back mentally," Brode said. "She's going to be fine. She's a strong person."
Investigators are looking for a white or silver small car with front end damage. If you have any information, call The Colony Police Department.
E-mail: mdiaz@wfaa.com
