Brooklyn Prosecutor Dies in Cycling Crash

A senior assistant district attorney in the office of Brooklyn D.A. Eric Gonzalez was killed while cycling early Monday morning in Brooklyn.

Sarah Pitts, 35, was fatally struck by a bus driver while biking in Williamsburg, according to the district attorney.

“Our office is devastated by and mourning the tragic death of Senior Assistant District Attorney Sarah Pitts,” Gonzalez said in a statement, describing her as an “avid cyclist” and a “brilliant and compassionate lawyer dedicated to seeking justice.”

Gonzalez said that Pitts had joined the office in 2018 in order to work toward “bring change to the criminal justice system, making it fairer and safer for everyone.” Pitts was assigned to the Appeals Bureau and also worked with the Post-Conviction Justice Bureau, according to the DA, who added that Pitts “selflessly volunteered” during the COVID crisis and was “a kind and generous coworker who will be greatly missed.”

Pitts was hit by a charter bus belonging to Excellent Bus Service while biking on Wythe Avenue when she was hit at about 12:35 a.m., according to the community affairs office of Brooklyn’s 90th Precinct, which also confirmed a Daily News report that the driver had no alcohol in his system and a valid license. The investigation is being done by NYPD Highway Patrol, the 90th said.

The office of the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner for Public Information said on Monday afternoon that it could not confirm any information about Pitts’s death. Williamsburg News tweeted video and still photographs of the emergency response to the crash.

It was a bloody weekend for cyclists, starting on Friday morning, when a hit-and-run driver struck a cyclist in the Bronx, sending the man to the hospital with serious injuries. Then, on Sunday, another hit-and-run driver left a cyclist in critical condition in Queens.

This is a developing story. Please check back for information.