A hit-and-run driver fatally struck a 61-year-old cyclist early Saturday morning, February 29, on Lake Street in East Garfield Park. This case, the first Chicago bike death of 2020, was the third bike or pedestrian fatality on a mile-long stretch of Lake Street in the space of about six months.
According to police, Saturday's victim was cycling across the 3700 block of Lake Street, within the Garfield Park green space, at about 12:35 a.m. "Per an on-scene witness... the bicyclist was crossing the middle of the street," said Officer Anthony Spicuzza of Police News Affairs. "It is unknown if the bicyclist was going north to south or vice versa."
The westbound driver of a white 2014 Chrysler 300 hit him and fled north on Hamlin Avenue, police said. The victim was transported to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His death has been ruled an accident, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office, which has not released his identity.
The vehicle likely has front-end damage, police said. Major Accidents is investigating. If you have info on the case, call 312-745-4521.
On Sunday, September 1, 2019, Richard Williams was riding a mountain bike in the 4500 block of West Lake when the driver of a black four-door 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV fatally struck him and fled, according to police. That motorist was never apprehended.
A few days prior on Tuesday, August 27, 2019, at around 12:40 p.m., Lee Davis, 59, was walking in a protected bike lane on the 3900 block of West Lake when a driver struck and killed him and fled, according to police. Elijah Brown, 32, was apprehended at his home an hour and charged with reckless homicide, aggravated DUI, a felony count of leaving the scene of a collision, and two misdemeanor DUI counts.
Fatality Tracker: 2020 Chicago pedestrian and bicyclist deaths on surface streets
Pedestrian: 5
Bicyclist: 1
Note: Streetsblog Chicago’s traffic death numbers represent fatal crashes on Chicago surface streets, based on media reports and/or preliminary Chicago Police Department data released by the Chicago Department of Transportation.
