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Central Park Cyclist Denies Speeding In Crash That Left Pedestrian Brain Dead
By
Ben Yakas
Published Sep 20, 2014
Modified Sep 22, 2014
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Sep 20, 2014
Modified Sep 22, 2014
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The pedestrian who was struck by a cyclist in Central Park this week remains in critical condition as police continue to investigate the incident. Jill Tarlov, 59, is reportedly brain dead after 31-year-old cyclist Jason Marshall plowed into her near W. 63rd Street around 4:30 p.m. Thursday. "He was in the far-left bike lane,” a police official told the News. "When he approached the crosswalk, he swerved out of the bike lane to avoid other pedestrians and he crossed over, went into the traffic lane and hit her."
While Marshall has admitted to biking in the wrong lane, he denies that he was speeding, and claims that he had the green light and shouted to warn Tarlov as he approached. Witnesses told the News and Post that Marshall did yell at Tarlov, who apparently didn't hear him, but they also said that Marshall appeared to be speeding, and chose to swerve instead of brake. It's still unclear who had the light.
Marshall, a professional saxophone player who lives in Harlem, remained at the scene, and has not been charged with anything so far. According to the Post, he's an avid cyclist who obsessively logs his distance and speed online, but there were no records of either one that afternoon.
Cops were out in full force in Central Park on Friday handing out safety pamphlets and cracking down on speeding cyclists. "We’re just explaining to cyclists they need to stop at red lights," one cop told the News. "A lot of these cyclists, they’re arrogant. They don’t think the rules apply to them. They need to stop, too." The Post was out there too, and claim they observed over 60 cyclists over a two hour period swerving out of the bike lane at the same spot where the incident occurred. They also say they observed dozens of cyclists blowing through red lights.
The Times reports that cops have issued 468 moving summonses for bicycle violations in Central Park so far this year, more than triple the 151 summonses issued in the same period last year. They add that tensions were high between cyclists and pedestrians yesterday: "I’m turning to the right, I’m turning to the left, I don’t know where they’re going to come at me," said pedestrian Bunny Abraham, who told them she wants new rules that would require riders to have licenses. "They feel as if they own the city. They feel as if they own the roads. And you cannot touch them."
Andrea Peyser also weighed in on the topic in her usual level-headed way: "They’re terrorists on wheels. Assassins in Spandex," she wrote. "The bicycle menaces must be stopped. It’s already too late."
Tagged
bike
central park
cyclists
jason marshall
jill tarlov
vision zero
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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