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Killed Cyclist Was Riding the Wrong Way: Cops

Cops make a claim, but provide no evidence.
Killed Cyclist Was Riding the Wrong Way: Cops
File photo: Gersh Kuntzman

A cyclist killed on Friday may have been riding the wrong way in a dangerous area.

Police say that Hector Ayala, 41, was fatally struck by the driver of a Dodge van early on Jan. 4 as he rode against traffic on northbound Crescent Street at Linden Boulevard in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. The driver had been traveling westbound on the fast-moving roadway at around 3:55 a.m. when he hit Ayala, cops said. The driver remained on the scene and was not charged. Ayala was taken to Brookdale Hospital, where he died.

A police spokesman said the Collision Investigation Squad determined that Ayala had been cycling against traffic, though the investigation is ongoing. It is unclear how the determination was made; in such early-morning crashes, the driver is often the only witness.

Cyclists will occasionally ride against traffic in areas where roadways are unsafe. Twenty-one pedestrians and cyclists were injured on the 3/4-mile stretch of Linden Boulevard between Fountain Avenue and Amber Street since January, 2017, city statistics show.

Photo of Gersh Kuntzman
Tabloid legend Gersh Kuntzman has been with New York newspapers since 1989, including stints at the New York Daily News, the Post, the Brooklyn Paper and even a cup of coffee with the Times. He's also the writer and producer of "Murder at the Food Coop," which was a hit at the NYC Fringe Festival in 2016, and “SUV: The Musical” in 2007. He also writes the Cycle of Rage column, which is archived here.

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