Authorities have identified Bekim Fiseku, 53, as the man wanted in association with the tragic hit-and-run death of a cyclist in Astoria, Queens. The incident, which occurred in October, resulted in the death of 36-year-old Amanda Servedio. According to police, the vehicle involved was fleeing from an alleged burglary and subsequently struck Servedio while she navigated an intersection on her bicycle, as reported by ABC7NY.
Surveillance footage captured the harrowing moment when Servedio, just two blocks from her home, was hit by the escaping pickup truck. The collision sent both her and her bike into the air before she landed on a parked car, her life claimed shortly after at Elmhurst Hospital, as detailed by the same ABC7NY report. Fiseku and two other occupants of the truck had reportedly participated in a burglary at a construction site near the location of the chase and crash. Despite the NYPD's efforts to intercept, the suspected criminals managed to abandon the vehicle and escape on foot.
Following the tragic event, a "ghost bike" was installed in memory of the victim, marking the spot where the crash occurred. Officials, confronting the aftermath, denounced police pursuits in residential locales, pointing to the dangers they pose. In a witness statement obtained by ABC7NY, Dahlia Goldenberg of Families for Safe Streets revealed the associated vehicle's history of traffic violations, citing, "The driver's license plate of this truck has been associated with 80 camera issues, speeding tickets and red-light tickets in the last two years." Concerned citizens and those with information regarding this case are urged to contact the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline for, both English and Spanish speakers.
The Post obtained surveillance video showcasing the incident, where the Dodge Ram can be seen striking the cyclist at the intersection. Cops were tracking the vehicle, suspected in a burglary just over a mile away, moments before the fatal accident. Responding officers curtailed their pursuit post-crash to offer aid to Servedio, who suffered critical trauma to the head and body. But the vehicle in question, later found deserted, had fled the scene.
Servedio, an Arkansas native and senior tax accountant in Midtown, had lived alone in Astoria. Neighbors described her as an enthusiastic cyclist, often seen transporting her bike after long rides. "She rode a lot. And she rode with organized groups and you'd regularly see her coming in after these long organized rides walking up the stairs with [the bike on] her shoulder," one neighbor recounted to The Post. The community was left to grapple with their loss, as her distressed mother was seen mourning, supported by friends and fellow residents.
