MURRIETA -- Police and family members are seeking help in finding a driver who fled Wednesday morning after hitting and critically injuring a Murrieta bicyclist on California Oaks Road.

The 47-year-old bicyclist, Gerry Marinucci, was riding southwest on California Oaks Road about 5:45 a.m. -- just west of Lincoln Avenue -- in the marked bike lane when he was struck from behind by an unknown vehicle, investigators said.

"When we arrived at the scene, the victim was in the roadway but his bike and the vehicle that hit him were gone," said Murrieta police Sgt. Sean Hadden. "There were no brake marks left by the vehicle. It looks like it (the vehicle) never slowed down."

Following a trail of broken bicycle parts, investigators determined that the vehicle continued west on California Oaks Road, still dragging the bicycle, before turning right into the California Oaks shopping center, Hadden said.

The driver then continued through the parking lot without stopping, turned onto Jackson Avenue and headed north, the sergeant added.

"The bicycle was found about a mile away in a residential neighborhood off of Jackson," Hadden said. "There were scrape marks from the bike on the pavement all the way down the street."

Officers were notified by a resident on Via De Gema Linda that the bicycle was lying next to the curb on that street.

Marinucci, who was wearing a helmet, suffered major head injuries. He was taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar and then transferred to Riverside County Regional Medical Center in Moreno Valley. According to a family member, he was in critical condition late Wednesday afternoon.

An early morning bike ride was part of Marinucci's daily routine, said Steve Gronlund, Marinucci's brother-in-law.

"He rode his bike every morning about that time for exercise," Gronlund said. "He had just changed his route and began riding in that area because he said there was too much traffic where he used to ride."

Gronlund said he is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the hit-and-run driver.

Police closed a half-mile section of busy California Oaks Road between Lincoln and Jackson avenues for several hours while investigators combed the roadway looking for evidence.

"We're working on a couple of leads," Hadden said."So far, no witnesses have come forward."

Investigators found broken glass at the scene that they say they believe was from the vehicle that hit Marinucci.

"We're hoping that can give us some information on what kind of vehicle it was," Hadden said.

Police are checking the bicycle to see if the suspect may have left fingerprints on it as well as examining it for any clues that might identify the vehicle that hit it, he added.

Investigators said the front of the vehicle was likely damaged from the crash and the bicycle being dragged a long distance.

"We're hoping someone will come forward if they see a vehicle with major damage to the front end," Hadden said.

Marinucci, a former graphic artist at The Californian, is married and has three children.

Anyone with information on the collision or the driver of the vehicle is asked to call Murrieta police Sgt. Frank LaVigne at (909) 304-2677, Ext. 6722.

Contact staff writer John Hunneman at (909) 676-4315, Ext. 2603, or hunneman@californian.com.