A somber mood has enveloped Center City after a female cyclist was struck and killed in the bike lane by a vehicle. As reported by FOX 29, the incident occurred on Wednesday evening near 18th and Spruce streets. The victim, a 30-year-old woman, was fatally hit by a car driven by a 69-year-old man and was pronounced dead, police say.
According to NBC Philadelphia, footage from nearby surveillance shows the devastating moment when the driver of the blue car veered into the bike lane, narrowly missing a pedestrian before striking the cyclist, who was wearing a helmet, resulting in her demise. Captain Andrew Disanto of the Philadelphia police explained tragically, "After getting hit on the bike she flew some distance about 20 or more feet. Struck the ground. I believe she suffered some head injuries and trauma."
The driver of the vehicle was taken to a nearby hospital and was reported to be in stable condition. As of yet, no charges have been filed against him, as per NBC Philadelphia. The investigation into the crash remains ongoing as authorities work to determine the underlying cause of the crash and why the driver was speeding on a street known for its narrowness and typical neighborhood bustle.
The identity of the woman who lost her life has not yet been publicly released as officials are likely in the process of notifying next of kin. As detailed by 6ABC, the impact of the collision was so forceful it caused the vehicle to do a 180 and come to rest facing the opposite direction. "They did say he was talkative at the hospital, the elderly gentleman driving the vehicle," DiSanto said, indicating that the driver was alert following the crash.
