Niagara Regional Police are investigating a hit-and-run Thursday night that left a Niagara-on-the-Lake man with life-threatening injuries.

Officers were on patrol at 8:30 p.m. Thursday when an 84-year-old was found lying in the north side drainage ditch on East and West Line at Concession 2. 

A police statement said the man was hit “by a truck or utility vehicle while cycling and that the vehicle then left the scene prior to police arrival.”

The vehicle is missing the passenger side mirror and also has damage to the passenger side front corner, police said. 

The man was treated on the scene by paramedics, then airlifted to hospital in Hamilton.

The victim’s neighbour, Don Lees, identified the man as Nester Chemerika and said he has serious injuries.

He said he spoke with Chemerika’s son, who told him he was undergoing surgery on Friday.

Lees said Chemerika’s daughter had called him around midnight to tell him what happened, and asked him to make sure Chemerika’s doors were locked at his house.

“I hope he pulls through this,” he said.

He noted that Chemerika rides his bike several times a day along roads in the area.

“People speed down those back roads, like the rural roads, all the time. Something has to happen, something has to change,” he said.

Police are asking anyone with information or dash cam footage to contact the police at 905 688-4111, dial option 3, ext. 1009089.

Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477.