A 71-year-old cyclist died Monday morning after a crash in Central Park, the second deadly collision on nearly the same stretch of park roadway in less than two weeks.
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Police responded to a 911 call near East Drive and 84th Street at around 8:18 a.m. A preliminary investigation found that the man was riding his bike when he collided with a dog that ran onto the roadway, according to the NYPD. He fell, struck the pavement, and suffered injuries to his head and body. EMS took him to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to the NYPD.The dog’s owner stayed at the scene, and the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad is investigating, according to the NYPD. The cyclist’s name is being withheld pending family notification. Police also said the dog wasn’t injured and that the cyclist had been riding a luxury racing bike.
The dog was off-leash. Under the park’s rules, dogs can be off-leash from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., but they must be leashed on the drives at all times.
Monday’s crash happened almost exactly where Richie O’Brien, 41, was struck by a cyclist on Sept. 23 while walking to his job as a steamfitter at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Police said a 32-year-old cyclist heading north hit him near East Drive and 84th Street. O’Brien died four days later. According to Streetsblog, his death was the first time a cyclist had killed a pedestrian in Central Park since 2014.
“We are heartbroken to hear of the fatal incident that occurred in Central Park this morning involving a cyclist and an off-leash dog,” a Central Park Conservancy spokesperson said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and loved ones of the cyclist who lost his life.”
The spokesperson said the park can’t serve its purpose unless visitors follow the rules and respect one another, adding, “The tragedy this morning and other recent incidents show what can happen when that agreement is broken.”
“More than 40 million people share this magnificent 843-acre gift of green space each year,” the statement continued. “Every single one of us must accept the responsibility to keep it safe and welcoming for one another. Leash your dog, observe speed limits, and follow the rules of the Park.”
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