A 17-year-old male bicyclist was struck and killed in a collision with an SUV in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday morning, in a crash that shut down streets in one of the busiest corners of the borough. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene, and police say the investigation into exactly how the two collided is still underway.
The crash happened just before 9 a.m. on Center Street, between Chambers and Reed streets. The location is only steps away from police headquarters, in an area many New Yorkers know well because it sits right where riders get on and off the Brooklyn Bridge.
According to police, the 17-year-old had just come off the Brooklyn Bridge and was riding down Center Street, crossing Chambers, at the time of the collision. The bicycle involved appeared to be an e-bike of some sort, though investigators had not confirmed how fast it was traveling or whether it was using pedal assist.
The other vehicle was a black Chevy Tahoe, driven by a 40-year-old woman who was heading straight down Center Street. Police say the SUV and the bicycle collided in some manner, but the precise sequence of events remained unclear as officers worked the scene.
Police noted that the teen was not in the dedicated bike lane at the time. They pointed out that the bike lane carries a maximum speed for riders who use it, and said the speed of both the driver and the e-bike rider was still being investigated.
The Collision Investigation Squad responded to examine the scene, which remained very active through the morning. Police tape blocked off the area, and officers urged people not to crowd the site as the work continued.
Center Street was closed between Chambers and Reed, and Chambers Street was closed between Center Street and Broadway while the investigation went on. The closures affected a stretch of Lower Manhattan near City Hall and the Brooklyn Bridge that draws heavy foot and bicycle traffic every day.