Driver Hits and Kills Cyclist on Union Avenue in Williamsburg
A 40-year-old driver going north on Union Avenue hit a 46-year-old bicyclist, who died at a hospital, police and the official crash record show.
What We Know
A 46-year-old bicyclist was riding north on Union Avenue near Lynch Street in Williamsburg late Sunday morning when a 40-year-old driver traveling the same direction hit him, police told reporters. The rider was taken to a hospital and died. The official crash record lists the driver in a 2024 Volkswagen SUV, while one news account described the vehicle as a van. City records cite improper passing or lane usage in the crash and list unsafe speed for the driver's SUV. Police told reporters there were no immediate arrests and that the investigation was continuing.
A northbound driver hit a northbound bicyclist
Police told reporters the bicyclist was traveling north on Union Avenue near Lynch Street around 11:30 a.m. when a 40-year-old driver traveling the same direction hit him. The official record lists the crash at 11:26 a.m. and records one cyclist killed and one motorist injured.
The Post, citing police, described the driver as operating a black Volkswagen SUV. The Daily News described the vehicle as a van. The official record lists a 2024 Volkswagen SUV going straight north, along with a northbound bicyclist.
Union Avenue has a recent record of serious harm
The crash happened at Union Avenue and Lynch Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Across Union Avenue in Brooklyn, CrashCountNYC's Crash Finder counted 526 crashes, 300 injuries, 23 serious injuries and 3 deaths from Jan. 1, 2022, through June 1, 2026.
City records cite lane use and speed
The official crash record cites passing or lane usage improper as a contributing factor. For the driver's Volkswagen SUV, the vehicle record also lists unsafe speed.
The official vehicle records list several parked vehicles with damage after the crash. Press accounts differ on the parked vehicle the driver hit afterward: the Daily News reported an unoccupied sedan, while the Post reported an unoccupied white Honda Odyssey.
The rider died at the hospital; police continued investigating
EMS took the bicyclist to a hospital, where he died. The Post reported that he was taken to Kings County Hospital. Police also said the 40-year-old driver was taken to a hospital in stable condition.
Police told both outlets that no immediate arrests had been made. The Post reported that the NYPD Highway Collision Investigation Squad was handling the probe.
Council Member Lincoln Restler, who represents Williamsburg, called the death tragic and said the city should keep pushing for safer streets, including a network of protected lanes.