Cops: Audi on wrong side as bicycle hit

The 44-year-old DuPont Co. manager charged with killing a bicyclist in a hit-and-run crash in Hockessin last week had crossed into the rider's lane when his black sedan struck him, police say in court papers.

Gabriel F. Pardo "was clearly on the wrong side of the road'' when his northbound Audi A4 hit the front wheel of 27-year-old Phillip Bishop's bike about 8:45 p.m. Friday, according to the arrest warrant filed Tuesday and obtained by The News Journal.

Bishop was "lawfully riding his bicycle'' in the southbound lane of the winding, narrow back road when he was killed, the warrant said. He was wearing his helmet with a head lamp, flashlight and his bike had a rear flashing red marker light.

Evidence showed that the 2003 Audi continued on to the grassy southbound shoulder, where "tire markings consistent with the Audi's tires'' were found, Officer First Class William K. Hussong wrote in the warrant.

Impact damage was found on the Audi's passenger side front bumper, grill windshield, hood and roof, Hussong wrote, adding that the southbound lane where Bishop had been cycling was littered with "marks, black paint chips, car parts and blood drops.''

Bishop, an aspiring teacher, was pedaling from his supervisor's job at PureBread deli in Greenville, less than a mile from his home in Stuyvesant Hills, when he was killed. Pardo lives in the 2300 block of Brackenville Road, about a quarter-mile from the crash site.

Pardo surrended Tuesday to New Castle County police at its headquarters in Minquadale, where he was charged with criminally negligent homicide and leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death. If convicted of both felonies, he could face zero to to 13 years in prison but sentencing guidelines used by Delaware judges call for zero to three years and three months behind bars.

After his out-of-control car hit Bishop, Pardo didn't stop or call 911, court records show.

But at 9:20 a.m. Saturday – about 12 hours afterward – Pardo called the county police non-emergency line to say his his black Audi "hit something'' on Brackenville Road the previous night and "wanted police to come check it out to see if he was the person who hit the cyclist.''

Hussong went to Pardo's two-story home with a two-car garage and found his black Audi, with Pennsylvania tags, in the left bay.

Pardo, who said he was speaking to his lawyer on the phone, told Hussong "he was advised by his attorney to provide his driver's license information, registration and insurance," according to the court records.

The Audi's entire front windshield was cracked, its Audi emblem was missing and the car had damage to the passenger side front bumper, grill, hood and roof. There appeared to be "bodily fluids and hair on the damaged areas of the car,'' Hussong wrote.

Pardo consented to his Audi being impounded, and the car was towed to the county police evidence detection unit about noon Saturday.

Damage to the vehicle and the bicycle were "consistent" with the fatal crash, Hussong wrote.

Pardo was arraigned and posted $50,000 secured bail before leaving the police station in a blue Mercedes SUV driven by another man about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Pardo did not answer reporters' questions there and no one answered the door at his home Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. He is scheduled to be in court Oct. 1 for a preliminary hearing.

Pardo's profile on the professional network LinkedIn lists his title as regional market and business manager for DuPont Disinfectants.

Asked about the arrest of one of its managers in the hit-and-run fatality, DuPont spokesman Dan Turner said by email Tuesday that the case "is a pending law enforcement matter" and referred questions to police. Turner would not comment on Pardo's job status, saying it was a "personnel" matter.

After Pardo was charged, Bishop's mother, Johanna Bishop, said nothing about the arrest but thanked friends and well-wishers for their support.,

"The love from the community has been phenomenal. People are saying such kind things about Phillip, and that's what we have to carry forward," she said.

"We have to live life now and make Phillip proud of us and live according to Phillip's principles, which was just to be kind and do good."

Bishop's family is asking mourners to make donations to the group aiming to make cycling a safe transportation option in Delaware. Bishop was killed Friday while pedaling to his Hockessin home from work.

The second bicycling fatality in Delaware this year has led the state's bicycling community to say many roads are unsafe for commuters.

Bike Delaware said Tuesday it has started a Web page to accept donations on behalf of Bishop. Donations can be made at www.bikede.org/phillip/.

"Phillip realized quickly that as a cyclist, life was suddenly much more dangerous," the Bike Delaware page said. "Safety was a foremost concern when he was riding. Phillip chose the streets he rode on with care, would not ride when the roads were wet and slick, and was always well lit at night.

"Unfortunately, even the measures that Phillip took were not enough."

A viewing will be held for Bishop from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Chandler Funeral Home at 7230 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin. His funeral will be Friday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, 7200 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin.

Police are asking that anyone with information related to this fatality to call Hussong at (302) 395-3604, or email whussong@nccde.org. Citizens also may submit tips at www.nccpd.com.

Reporter Melissa Nann Burke contributed to this story.

Contact senior reporter Cris Barrish at (302) 324-2785,cbarrish@delawareonline.com or on Facebook.

Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299,eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3.