Cyclist Mowed Down By Driver As She Rides NYC Bike Tour In Brooklyn, Police Say

BOROUGH PARK, BROOKLYN – A cyclist was seriously hurt after a driver mowed her down as she rode with 6,000 other participants in the NYC Bike Tour in Brooklyn Sunday, police and ride organizers said. She was one of four riders hurt.

Race organizers Transportation Alternatives said the four were stopped at a red light at 39th Street and 12th Avenue in Borough Park just after 9 a.m. when they were hit by a car. The driver was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated and driving with a suspended license, police said. (For more information on this accident and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Paul Steely White, the executive director of Transportation Alternatives which sponsors the bike ride, said: “Early this morning, four New Yorkers who were participating in a Transportation Alternatives group bike ride were mowed down by a driver in Borough Park. This is devastating news on what is supposed to be a joyful day of cycling in New York City."

He added, "Every New Yorker who ride a bikes deserves to be able to travel safely and free from harm. Our thoughts are with the family of the victim, and we are praying for her speedy recovery.”

The NYC Bike Tour is an event which offers a range of routes and distances for participants.

Lead image courtesy of Transportation Alternatives