NYC Cyclist Deaths: NYPD Cracking Down On Reckless Bike Riders After Woman Struck, Left With Severe Brain Injury
UPDATE 4/26 10:56 a.m. - Donna has had surgery and is in critical but stable condition, her husband says.
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A woman is recovering from a traumatic brain injury after a bicyclist ran a red light and crashed into her Wednesday.
CBS2's Alice Gainer spoke to people in Midtown who say the reckless accident is not surprising and cyclists are constantly putting the public in danger at intersections.
After Wednesday's grisly incident, the NYPD was out in Manhattan writing summonses to some cyclists on Thursday.
Around 1:30 p.m., police say a bicyclist ran a red light on 57th Street and plowed into the woman. They both fell and the 67-year-old pedestrian was seriously injured.
"I heard the ambulance. I came downstairs and when I came to the front door I saw somebody laying on the floor," Kenny Tello told CBS2.
The woman, who reportedly had just gotten lunch, was walking in the intersection between Fifth and Sixth avenues when she was struck.
The cyclist has been identified by a police source as 40-year-old Damian Deward. He stayed on the scene after the crash and was issued a summons.
People who work in Midtown say they see bikes constantly going through the red light at that particular intersection.
A witness told CBS2 the cyclist involved in Wednesday's crash was a food delivery man.
"They're always going through the red lights in this intersection right here," Tello said.
"Bicyclists, they don't stop. If they don't have to they'll go right through when the light is red. It's a dangerous intersection," Jimmy Gomez added.
CBS2's cameras captured numerous cyclists going through the red light, one after another.
The NYPD tried to play catch-up on Thursday, cracking down on the out-of-control bikers going through lights, and also going the wrong way in traffic.
The injured woman, who's named Donna, works nearby.
Her employer released a statement also talking about the dangers of cyclists breaking the law. It reads in part:
"All of us who live or work in New York City do so at our peril because of bike riders speeding through intersections and often going against traffic on one-way streets. Bicycles should have a license plate to create accountability for the riders. We pray that Donna will fully recover from this tragedy."
Gainer spoke to Donna's husband, who did not want to appear on camera. He said she is in serious-but-stable condition.
As for the summons that cyclist was issued, it carries a fine of up to $250 or community service.
