Bicyclist Sought After Chelsea Pedestrian Dies
A male bicyclist failed to yield at 8th Avenue and West 22nd Street on Aug. 11, 2022, hitting Gavin Lee as he crossed with the signal, and police said the rider left before Lee died at Bellevue Hospital.
What We Know
Gavin Lee, 44, was crossing Eighth Avenue at West 22nd Street in Chelsea on the evening of Aug. 11, 2022, when police said a male bicyclist traveling north hit him. City crash data recorded Lee as a pedestrian at the intersection crossing with the signal and listed failure to yield as a contributing factor for the bicyclist. The Daily News reported witnesses said Lee had the right of way and suffered a severe head injury; both the bicyclist and Lee were thrown down. Police said the bicyclist got back on the bike and rode north on Eighth Avenue before officers arrived. Lee was taken to Bellevue Hospital and died days later. Police released surveillance footage and sought the bicyclist, described in press accounts as a man in his mid-20s with brown wavy hair and a tattoo on his right forearm.
A crossing pedestrian and a northbound bicyclist
The city record places the crash at 6:41 p.m. on Aug. 11, 2022, at 8th Avenue and West 22nd Street. It records a 44-year-old pedestrian at the intersection, crossing with the signal, and a northbound bicyclist going straight ahead. Press accounts citing police and witnesses said a male bicyclist hit Gavin Lee in the crosswalk and both men fell.
The sources differ slightly on timing: the Daily News reported about 6:30 p.m., the Post reported around 7 p.m., and the city record lists 6:41 p.m.
Gavin Lee was taken to Bellevue and died days later
The Post identified the pedestrian as Gavin Lee, 44, of Manhattan. Both articles said medics took him to Bellevue Hospital. The Daily News reported that Lee died five days after the crash, and the Post reported that he died the following Tuesday.
Daily News witness Raymond Mina said Lee was faceup in the road and not moving after the collision. Mina said a group of bicyclists surrounded Lee and that one bicyclist called 911.
Right of way is central in the record and witness accounts
The city record listed failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor and also recorded traffic control disregarded for the bicyclist. The fatal pedestrian entry says Lee was crossing with the signal. The Daily News reported that police said Lee had the right of way.
The crash happened on an 8th Avenue corridor with a heavy toll
The collision took place at Eighth Avenue and West 22nd Street in Chelsea, Manhattan.
On CrashCountNYC’s 8th Avenue Manhattan corridor, records since 2022 show 1,242 crashes, 612 injuries, 54 serious injuries and 5 deaths.
Police searched for the bicyclist who left
Police said the bicyclist got back on the bike after the crash and rode north on Eighth Avenue before officers arrived. The NYPD released surveillance footage and asked the public for help identifying him.
The articles described the bicyclist as a man in his mid-20s with brown wavy hair, a medium build and a tattoo on his right forearm, last seen wearing a yellow shirt, tan shorts and carrying a black bag.