BREAKING NEWS:

A 31-year-old Costa Mesa bicyclist died early Thursday after she was hit by a driver allegedly under the influence of prescription drugs in Newport Beach.

Candace Tift was riding on the sidewalk on West Coast Highway near the Sterling BMW dealership at 7:37 p.m. Wednesday when a woman driving a Lexus veered onto the curb and hit her. Arriving emergency officials found Tift lying on the sidewalk, severely injured. She was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where she died at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

The driver of the Lexus, 52-year-old Janene Kathleen Johns, of Irvine, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of felony driving under the influence. Police said Thursday the charge would be upgraded to vehicular manslaughter.