Strava turned crime-solver recently when police used it to track down the perpetrator of a cyclist-on-cyclist assault.

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Is this a case of KOM-chasing gone bad?

In April a cyclist was injured when another cyclist, riding in the opposite direction, deliberately stuck out his arm and pushed the victim’s helmet strongly, causing him to crash and be “seriously injured”, according to the Washington Post. The incident occurred on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, Virginia USA.

The only thing the police had to go on was that the nasty guy was riding a time trial or triathlon bike with aero bars and was sporting a deep-visored aero helmet as well. what does that tell you? He’s bound to be on Strava, that’s what.

Police detectives from the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office used information from Strava (possibly the Strava Flybys feature, it’s unconfirmed at the moment) and also information from eyewitnesses at the scene of the crime, to identify 48 year old Edward A Shortnacy.

Shortnacy duly turned himself in and was charged with malicious wounding. The offence carries a five-year minimum sentence, and if found guilty Mr Shortnacy could face a jail term of anywhere up to twenty years. Mr Shortnacy is currently out on bail for $5,000.