Bicyclist Died From Injuries Sustained in Crash at Dangerous Intersection

John Jones, 48, died last Thursday, about a week after he was struck on his bicycle at the dangerous intersection of 79th Street, Stony Island Avenue, and South Chicago Avenue.

On Tuesday, September 15, at about 7:20 p.m., Jones was bicycling southeast on the 7900 block of South Chicago when he came to the six-way intersection, according to Police News Affairs. The junction is complicated by the presence of overhead entrance and exit ramps for the Chicago Skyway, and it has a high pedestrian crash rate.

Alexa Lenior, 17, was driving south on Stony Island when she struck Jones, News Affairs said. Lenior told later police that she had a green light.

Jones was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died from his injuries last Thursday at 2:43 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner. Lenior sustained minor injuries to her right arm and was transported to Jackson Park Hospital for treatment, News Affairs said.

Lenior was cited for failure to reduce speed to prevent a crash, according to News Affairs. Poor sight lines due to the presence of the ramp support pillars may have also been a factor in the driver not stopping in time. Lenior is due in Traffic Court on October 27.

Fatality Tracker: 2015 Chicago pedestrian and bicyclist deaths
Pedestrian: 26 (10 were hit-and-run crashes)
Bicyclist: 4 (two were hit-and-run crashes)