NYPD: No Charges After SUV Driver Leaves 29-Year-Old Bay Ridge Cyclist “Likely to Die”
A cyclist is in critical condition and considered “likely to die” after he was struck by an SUV driver at 73rd Street and Ridge Boulevard in Bay Ridge this morning.
An NYPD spokesperson told Streetsblog a 63-year-old woman driving the SUV was headed westbound on 73rd and entered the intersection with a green light. Police said the cyclist, a 29-year-old black male, was northbound on Ridge. NYPD’s public information office had no further details on how the crash occurred.
The victim was transported to Lutheran Hospital. NYPD did not identify either individual by name.
No charges were filed and no tickets were issued. NYPD told Streetsblog there was “no criminality suspected” and said investigators were still working the crash.
Streetsblog reader John Tomac came upon the scene at around 10:30 a.m. His photos show the driver’s door and left front fender severely damaged, with the SUV stopped in the crosswalk on Ridge, the front wheels turned slightly to the left.
Tomac, who lives in the neighborhood, said he’s seen collisions and near-misses at the intersection before.
“I’ve had a few close calls crossing here, too,” he said in an email. “There’s a lot of racing to beat the light and a lot of failure to yield to people in the crosswalk.”
The location of today’s collision falls under the jurisdiction of the NYPD’s 68th Precinct. If you’d like to share you concerns about traffic safety in the area, the precinct community council meets next Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the precinct house, located at 333 65th Street.
With reporting by Brad Aaron.
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