A 23-year-old Lakewood woman was killed after she was thrown from an ATV during a street takeover on May 17 in Cleveland’s Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood, according to police. The crash happened near East 100th Street and Buckeye Avenue when the ATV operator pulled a wheelie, and the passenger fell from the vehicle.
According to WOIO, the victim was identified as 23-year-old Yarianalie Garcia of Lakewood. Officers say the ATV operator stopped briefly but did not help before leaving the scene. Garcia was taken to a local hospital, where she later died, the station reports. Cleveland police have released several photos in an effort to identify the ATV operator and a second person on a white dirt bike, and anyone with information is asked to call the Accident Investigation Unit at 216-623-5295, per the Cleveland Division of Police.
Takeovers Have Become A Recurring Safety Concern
City officials and prosecutors have increasingly treated unsanctioned street takeovers as a serious public-safety problem, responding with criminal charges and traffic-engineering fixes after dangerous gatherings. As recent convictions and appeals have highlighted, the city is trying to clamp down on stunt riding that puts bystanders and officers in harm’s way.
How To Reach Investigators
Investigators are asking anyone who recognizes the people in the released photos or who has video of the May 17 takeover to call the Accident Investigation Unit at 216-623-5295 or Crimestoppers at 216-252-7463, according to the Cleveland Division of Police. Tips may be left anonymously through Crimestoppers and will be reviewed by detectives handling the case. Police did not immediately say whether any arrests or charges have been filed in connection with the crash, WOIO reports.
