Ute driver crashes into cyclist and flees the scene at Newcastle

A driver who crashed into a cyclist at Newcastle and sped off with the rider lying on the bitumen has been caught in the act by a dashcam.

The hit-and-run took place about 5pm yesterday at Darby Street near Parry Street in Newcastle, NSW.

The video, uploaded to the Facebook group Cyclist, shows a white utility making a right turn into the intersection, straight into the path of a cyclist.

The rider flies over the bonnet and thuds into the road.

The driver fails to stop and accelerates away from the crash.

The video shows a pedestrian sprint after the ute, and the filming car makes a u-turn to try and track down the vehicle.

Newcastle City Chief Inspector Dean Olsen said police were investigating.

"Police have lines of inquiry they are following. We have a number of witnesses who have come forward," he told ninemsn.

Insp. Olsen said video evidence such as the dashcam footage of the cyclist hit-and-run was increasingly becoming a tool the police could use in criminal investigations.

“It is becoming more and more common that we are being provided a lot more video … The combination of personal camera equipment but also public space stuff (CCTV)," he said.

"It certainly assists with investigation. There's nothing better than a picture."

It is unknown if the rider was seriously injured.