York Regional police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal hit-and-run involving a cyclist in Whitchurch-Stouffville.

Police say the victim was riding in the Ninth Line and Bethesda Sideroad area, east of Highway 48, when he was hit. They believe the cyclist was struck between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Police say a passerby found the cyclist at the side of the road around 6 a.m. and called for help.

They say a 20-year-old Whitchurch-Stouffville man died of his injuries at the scene.

Friends identified the victim as Daunte Thompson-Bruce of Whitchurch-Stouffville, a business administration studies student at Seneca College, who was on summer break

They told CTV News Toronto that Thompson-Bruce had spent the night at a friend’s house about a 20 minute bike ride north from where he was hit. The former high-school track star cycled “everywhere,” friends said, adding that the early morning ride wasn’t unusual for him.

A GoFundMe page has been set up by friends of Thompson-Bruce to help his family with funeral costs. They wrote that it feels like a "bright light" has been "extinguished."

"Daunte was a brilliant friend, whose smile never ceased to bring joy to others," the fundraising effort's webpage reads. "He was always the friend who was there to hangout if you wanted to and was never shy about making new friends out of strangers."

Investigators say the vehicle that struck the cyclist did not remain on scene and there is little information available due to the remote area in which the collision occurred.

“All we know at this point was that he was located at 6 a.m. by this passerby,” Const. Marina Orlovski told CTV News Toronto. “We don’t know how long he may have been at the side of the road or what circumstances led up to the collision with this unknown vehicle that we are looking for.”

York regional police say they, and Thompson-Bruce's family, are urging the driver to seek legal advice and turn themselves in.

Investigators are encouraging anyone who sees a vehicle with fresh damage to contact police.

- With files from The Canadian Press and CTV Toronto