Bicyclist In Critical Condition After Harlem Hit-And-Run
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police are searching for a driver in a hit-and-run crash that left a man in critical condition in Harlem.
It happened around 10 p.m. Wednesday on West 145th Street.
Police sources said a 57-year-old man on a bicycle was in the middle of the street trying to cross West 145th Street near Lenox Avenue when when a red sedan struck him and then drove off, CBS2's Janelle Burrell reported.
Investigators said the cyclist's body hit the windshield, rolled off the hood and then hit the pavement, leaving him with serious injuries.
"I just heard a crash, bam, bam," said witness Sam Hassan. "The guy, one car hit him, he bounced off another car and then he was just on the floor. He wasn't moving."
The bike then catapulted into the air across traffic, hitting Roberto Ramirez's minivan.
"I was driving toward the bridge, then all of a sudden, I see this bike flying in the air and it hit me," he said. "Broke my windshield and scratched my hood."
The accident occurred just a block from the 145th Street bridge. Police restricting access to the area Wednesday night as they searched for the driver.
People who live nearby say the congestion makes it a hotspot for accidents.
"Going across the bridges, we see accidents at times on this corner," said resident Sam Geller.
The 57-year-old victim was a familiar face to employees at a take out restaurant, who are now praying for his recovery.
"He comes in every day," one man said. "He's a good guy."
Doctors operated on the cyclist overnight at Harlem Hospital.
Police are asking anyone who may have seen a red sedan with possible front-end damage on its hood to contact authorities.