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Strava contributes to arrest of cyclist in bike path assault

Published May 18, 2018

LEESBURG, Va. (BRAIN) — The Loudoun County (Virginia) Sheriff's Office said they were able to use Strava to help identify and arrest a suspect in the assault of a cyclist on a bike path last month.

According to the Sheriff's Office, a rider was seriously injured on April 22 when he was struck by another rider on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail. They said the victim was attempting to pass two other riders when a cyclist coming in the other direction reached his arm out and struck the victim on the helmet, causing him to crash. 

A spokesman from the Sheriff's Office told BRAIN that detectives used publicly available Strava data to help determine identify the suspect, who had uploaded his data from the ride to the web service. That Strava data and further investigation and witness interviews led them to identify Edward A. Shortnacy, 48, of Vienna, Virginia.

Shortnacy turned himself in to authorities Thursday morning and was released on a $5,000 bond. He was charged with malicious wounding.