Cyclist deaths in NYC: A month-by-month breakdown

More cyclists have died so far in 2019 than all of 2018. Photo Credit: Getty Images / Nicholas Hunt

The number of cyclists who have died in collisions on city streets in 2019 is more than double the number of cyclist fatalities in all of 2018.

There were 10 cyclist deaths in 2018, but so far in 2019, 22 bicyclists or e-bike riders have died after being hit by vehicles.

Transportation activists have decried the city’s lack of safe infrastructure for cyclists and the failure of Vision Zero, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s initiative to have no traffic-related deaths by 2024.

Amid mounting pressure, de Blasio announced on July 25 a $58.4 million five-year plan, dubbed the "Green Wave," to add new bike lanes, redesign intersections and step up enforcement of traffic laws.

The mayor described the state of cycling in the city as a "crisis" and "emergency."

"We can never look at such a moment like this and think we can do things the same way," he said.

But multiple cyclists have died since the mayor’s announcement.

Scroll down for a timeline of the fatal collisions in the five boroughs this year, starting with the most recent.

Sept. 21, Queens

A 14-year-old boy, identified as Mario Valenzuela, was riding alongside a truck on Borden Avenue in Long Island City shortly before 2 p.m. when the truck driver made a right turn onto 11th Street, hitting Valenzuela. The boy, who lived in Astoria, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver remained at the scene and no arrests were made.

Sept. 8, Brooklyn

Abul Bashar, 62, was riding an e-bike on the sidewalk along Third Avenue in Gowanus at about 9:30 p.m. when he entered the crosswalk at the intersection with 12th Street at the same time the driver of a garbage truck was making a legal left turn from Third Avenue, cops said.

Bashar, of Soundview, was hit by the front bumper of the truck and knocked off the bicycle. He died 10 days later at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. The driver stayed at the scene and was not arrested.

Sept. 2, Brooklyn

An SUV driver chased down a 47-year-old cyclist in Bushwick at about 6 a.m. after the cyclist allegedly tried to break into the driver’s car and cut a woman’s arm with a screwdriver, police said. The driver, Korey Johnson, slammed into the cyclist on Broadway, near Ellery Street, pinning him against parked cars. The cyclist, who was not identified by police, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Johnson, 41, was later charged with murder and manslaughter.

Aug. 11, Brooklyn

Jose Alzorriz, 52, was struck in a multi-car crash while he rode his bike toward the intersection of Coney Island Avenue and Avenue L in Midwood at about 12:30 p.m. An 18-year-old driver ran a red light and slammed into a minivan that then hit Alzorriz, police said. Alzorriz, of Park Slope, was pronounced dead at NYC Health + Hospitals/Coney Island. The 18-year-old driver, identified as Mirza Baig, was later charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and vehicular assault, among other offenses.

July 29, Brooklyn

A 30-year-old cyclist, identified as Em Samolewicz, was riding north on Third Avenue in Sunset Park when she tried to get around an open door of a parked car near 36th Street and collided with a commercial tractor trailer heading in the same direction around 9 a.m., police said. She was taken to NYU Lutheran Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The driver of the truck remained at the scene and an investigation is ongoing.

July 23, Brooklyn

A 58-year-old man, whose identity was not released, was on a bicycle on McGuinness Boulevard at the intersection with Norman Avenue in Greenpoint at about 3:50 p.m., when the driver of a box truck, traveling south on McGuinness Boulevard, hit him, police said. The man was taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, where he was pronounced dead. No arrests were made.

July 23, Staten Island

Alex Cordero, 17, was struck by a tow-truck driver in the intersection of Castleton Avenue and Clove Road in Port Richmond around noon. Cordero, of Shore Acres, was pronounced dead at Richmond University Medical Center. The driver of the truck remained at the scene and was not arrested.

July 1, Brooklyn

A 28-year-old woman, identified as Devra Freelander, of Bushwick, was fatally hit by a Mack cement truck as she crossed the intersection of Boerum Street and Bushwick Avenue in Williamsburg at about 12:15 p.m. Video of the incident shows Freelander coming off the sidewalk along Bushwick Avenue, which had scaffolding on it, and getting hit at the intersection with Boerum Street. The driver of the truck remained at the scene and was not arrested.

June 27, Brooklyn

Ernest Askew, 57, was struck by a motorist in the intersection of Chester Street and Sutter Avenue in Brownsville at about 9 p.m. Askew, who lived blocks from where he was hit, was pronounced dead at an area hospital. The driver stayed at the scene and was not arrested.

June 24, Manhattan

A bike messenger, identified as Robyn Hightman, 20, was hit by a Freightliner delivery truck driver traveling the same direction as her on Sixth Avenue, near 23rd Street, in the Flatiron District shortly after 9 a.m. Hightman was taken to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The driver initially left the scene but later returned and was issued five summonses.

June 9, Brooklyn

Mohammed Abdullah, 29, was riding an e-bike on Avenue D, near East 105th Street, in Canarsie, at about 10:40 p.m. when a woman driving a sedan at “a high rate of speed” lost control and hit him, police said. Abdullah, of East New York, was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

The driver, identified as Treasure Liggins, 22, was charged with driving while intoxicated, manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, among other charges.

May 15, Brooklyn

A 16-year-old boy, Yisroel Schwartz, was riding his bike on 17th Avenue, near 53rd Street, in Borough Park at about 5:40 p.m., when someone opened the door of a parked car in front of him. Schwartz, of Kensington, swerved to try to avoid it, but hit the door and fell to the ground, where he was fatally struck by a car. The drivers stayed at the scene and were not arrested.

May 12, Brooklyn

Robert Sommer, 29, was struck by the driver of an SUV as he tried to cross Avenue U at the intersection with East 33rd Street in Marine Park at about 8:20 p.m. Sommer, of Schuylerville, New York, was pronounced dead at an area hospital. The driver remained at the scene and was not arrested.

May 11, Brooklyn

Kenichi Nakagawa, 22, was hit by the driver of a minivan at the intersection of Dean Street and Brooklyn Avenue in Crown Heights shortly before 5:30 p.m. Nakagawa, of Bed-Stuy, ran a red light, according to police. He was taken to an area hospital, where he died three days later. The driver of the minivan stayed at the scene and was not arrested.

April 27, Manhattan

Victor Ang, 74, was riding a CitiBike on 11th Avenue, near West 30th Street, in Chelsea at about 6:40 p.m. when the driver of a UPS truck, traveling in the same lane, hit him. Ang, of Leona, New Jersey, was taken to an area hospital and died more than a month later on June 4. The UPS driver remained at the scene and was not arrested.

April 17, Brooklyn

Pedro Tepozteco, 26, was riding a bike on 47th Street, near 17th Avenue in Borough Park at about 5:30 p.m., and as the driver of a box truck was passing him, he fell into the side of the truck and was hit by the rear tires, police said. Tepozteco, of Sunset Park, was pronounced dead at an area hospital. The driver of the truck remained at the scene and was not arrested.

March 14, Queens

Robert Spencer, 53, was hit by the driver of a sedan at about 7:50 a.m. in the intersection of Borden Avenue and Second Street in Long Island City. Spencer, who lived blocks from where he was hit, was taken to an area hospital and pronounced dead. The driver stayed at the scene and was not arrested.

Feb. 28, Brooklyn

A 25-year-old woman, Aurilia Lawrence, of Paducah, Kentucky, was fatally struck by a hit-and-run driver on Broadway, near Rodney Street, in Williamsburg at about 11:30 p.m. The vehicle was described as “a grey or silver tanker-type vehicle,” according to police.

Feb. 4, Manhattan

Joseph Chiam, 72, was struck by a hit-and-run driver in a Western Star truck in the intersection of Eighth Avenue and West 45th Street in midtown shortly before 6 a.m. Chiam, of the East Village, was pronounced dead at an area hospital. The driver, Kenneth Jackson, 56, was later found and charged with failure to yield to a bicyclist and failure to use due care.

Jan. 26, Brooklyn

Susan Moses, 63, collided with an SUV on Kings Highway, near Van Sicklen Street, in Gravesend at about 6:50 p.m. Moses, who lived two blocks from where she was hit, was taken to an area hospital and died on Feb. 2. The driver stayed at the scene and was not arrested.

Jan. 4, Brooklyn

Hector Ayala Jr., 41, was struck by the driver of a van at the intersection of Linden Boulevard and Crescent Street in East New York shortly before 4 a.m. Ayala, who lived less than a block from where he was hit, died at an area hospital. The driver of the van remained at the scene and was not arrested.

Jan. 1, Brooklyn

A 26-year-old man, identified as Hugo Alexander Sinto Garcia, was riding an e-bike on Third Avenue, near 28th Street, in Sunset Park, at about 6 a.m. when someone opened the door of a taxi in front of him. He hit the door and fell into a lane of traffic, where he was hit by the driver of a sedan. Garcia, who lived blocks from where he was struck, was taken to an area hospital and was pronounced dead. The drivers stayed at the scene and were not arrested.

With Vincent Barone