Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Carnage

Second Cyclist of the Year is Dead in Brooklyn — Cause Unclear

The crash scene on Ralph Avenue. Photo: Google

Another e-bike rider — the third in as many weeks — has died under unclear circumstances involving no other vehicles.

In the latest case, according to the NYPD, Cheng Wang, 26, was riding his electric bike southbound on Ralph Avenue on Jan. 6 at around 2:45 p.m. when he simply lost control of the bike "for unknown reasons and fell to the ground," which caused internal — and ultimately fatal — injuries.

Wang was taken to Brookdale Hospital, where he died the next day.

An NYPD spokesman said that cops obtained video from the crash scene — which is in front of school bus company yard in an industrial area with choppy pavement — that showed clearly that no other vehicles were involved in the crash. The victim fell off the bike just a few feet before a trestle for a freight train line, though it is unclear if the dark underpass played a role.

It's the third time in as many weeks that cops have said an e-bike rider simply fell off his bike and killed himself.

Last week, cops said a still unidentified cyclist fell off his bike on E. 149th Street in the Bronx — and the Daily News confirmed the police account in a video that showed the cyclist losing control, though it is unclear if he hit a pothole or other debris (the video does not show the roadway itself).

And late last year, cops said Alejandro Santos rode his bike directly into a truck on dangerous Third Avenue in Brooklyn. Again, police did not provide any information about the condition of the roadway or whether Santos ran into a double-parked vehicle.

In any event, a police spokesman said that the NYPD will investigate the cause of Wang's death.

"We will go back to see if there was a pothole or any other explanation," the spokesman said. "We don't want this to happen again."

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Beach Reading: Zohran Mamdani’s Answers to Streetsblog’s Mayoral Candidate Survey

Spend the holiday weekend with Zohran Mamdani's answers to Streetsblog's mayoral candidate questionnaire.

July 4, 2025

Friday Video: Why NYC Needs ‘Low-Traffic Neighborhoods’

London's Church Street, like so many of our business corridors, was choking on cars — until the advent of the low-traffic neighborhood.

July 4, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: E-Bikes in Parks … Permanently Edition

The Parks Department will permanently allow e-bikes in city parks following a two-year pilot. Plus more news.

July 4, 2025

Anti-Miracle On 34th Street: Adams Administration Pauses Work On 34th Street Busway

The highly-anticipated 34th Street busway may not happen under Mayor Adams after all, sources said.

July 3, 2025

Manhattan DA Says Alleged Central Park Hit-and-Run Cyclist Didn’t Flee, Drops Charges

Prosecutors said the 30-year-old cyclist "remained on the scene for about 45 minutes after the crash and waited for paramedics to arrive to treat the injured person."

Sean Duffy’s ‘Great America Road Trip’ Wants You to Drive to Central Park

Sean Duffy's "Great American Road Trip" encourages Americans to drive to sites in the most transit-rich and car-choked parts of the country.

July 3, 2025
See all posts