A 52-year-old man was riding a bike in Midwood, Brooklyn Sunday when he was struck and killed by a car, marking the 19th New York City cycling fatality of 2019.
The victim has been identified as Jose Alzorriz, according to the NY Daily News.
The number of bike riders killed on city streets has doubled this year over last year. In total, 2019 saw 10 cyclist deaths in in New York City.
The NY Daily News reported that on Sunday a teen driving a silver Dodge Charger ran a red light while speeding down Coney Island Avenue and hit a Honda Pilot SUV heading east on Avenue L at around 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
The 18-year-old driver stayed at the scene and was kept in police custody overnight. As of Monday afternoon, he hadn’t faced charges.
The driver of the SUV, 39, was injured in the crash, as was a pedestrian. Both were taken to Maimonides Medical Center, according to NY Daily News.
At first, Alzorriz reportedly was able to walk without assistance, but his head injuries were severe, and he died after being taken to Coney Island Hospital.
CBS reports that police are reviewing the surveillance footage. As of Monday morning, it was an ongoing investigation.
News of Alzorriz death comes within weeks of Mayor de Blasio announcing his “Green Wave” bicycle plan to address the epidemic of cycling fatalities.
The “Green Wave” plan will include the construction of 80 miles of protected bike lanes by 2021, and will update the design of intersections to make them safer for cyclists.
NYPD will be deploying extra enforcement in the 100 most-crash prone intersections in NYC, and the Department of Transportation, City Council, and State Legislature say they will create new laws to protect cyclists.
City officials say they will plan to work with truckers to better educate them about how to share the streets with bikers.
Finally, the plan outlines an expansion of safety programs to help educate the public on the importance of bike safety and helmets.
