Recently drivers have critically injured people on bikes in West Lawn and Grand Crossing
The 59th/St. Louis intersection, where the driver struck the bike rider, looking east. Image: Google Maps
Within the past few days drivers struck and critically injured a 54-year-old woman in West Lawn on the Southwest Side, as well as a man, 30, in Grand Crossing, on the Mid South Side.
West Lawn case
According to a community alert released by the Chicago Police Department, on Sunday, May 29, at about 8:45, a woman was riding a bike south on St. Louis Avenue towards 59th Street. The driver of a white Honda SUV was heading east when they struck the bike rider, and then fled east on 59th.
The victim, who lives about a mile south of the crash site, was transported to Christ Hospital in stable-but-critical condition, police said. The crash report states that she suffered a head injury, as well as broken legs and two rib fractures.
The community alert asks nearby residents and merchants to review any surveillance video footage they may have for evidence to help apprehend the driver, and call 312-745-4521 with tips.
A person who witnessed the crash told Streetsblog they were walking east on 59th when the eastbound driver over took them and they saw the woman riding south. "I was thinking, 'They're going to crash.'" While the intersection has traffic signal, the witness said they don't recall who had a red light. They saw and heard the impact. "It was really bad." The bicycle, which was not a Divvy bike-share cycle, was broken into several pieces.
The witness said they called 911 as people came out of nearby buildings to aid the victim, who was unconscious and not moving for the first two minutes or so. "I thought she was dead, but then she started moving and groaning."
Within three or four minutes, police arrived, followed by fire department EMTs, the witness said. "I'm glad they showed up as soon as they did. My prayers are with her."
Grand Crossing case
This morning CBS Chicago reported that a Ford Focus compact car driver struck and injured a man, 30, on a bicycle at 69th Street and Wabash Avenue in Grand Crossing. According to CBS, the victim was transported to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, but the driver was not cited.
The CBS report did not include the date and time of the collision, and Police News Affairs said they were not immediately able to provide additional info. We'll update this post if we find out more.
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