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Truck Driver Arrested After Killing Cyclist Outside NY Botanical Garden
By
Miranda Katz
Published May 4, 2016
Modified May 4, 2016
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By
Miranda Katz
Published May 4, 2016
Modified May 4, 2016
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Last Wednesday, Heather Lough was on her way to the New York Botanical Garden, where she worked in the herbarium. It was about 9:30 a.m., and she had just exited the Metro North station and was heading down the Bronx's Southern Boulevard toward the Moshulu Gate when a truck driver made a left turn out of the Botanical Garden and onto Southern Boulevard, police said, hitting her with the front of his box truck.
When police arrived, they found Lough, 29, unconscious and unresponsive, with trauma to her head and body. She was taken to Jacobi Medical Center in critical condition, and on Monday, after losing all vital signs, she succumbed to her injuries.
Prior to Lough's death, the driver, who remained at the scene after striking her, was arrested: on April 30th, police charged Robert Owens, 45, with reckless driving and failure to yield. There have been no further charges since Lough's passing, according to an NYPD spokesperson.
Witnesses reported seeing the driver on his phone at the time of the crash, and others said that the location of the crash is notoriously dangerous and a hotspot for speeding, Streetsblog reports. According to NYPD crash data, there have been 27 crashes at the site since 2012, though only two others resulted in injuries and none were fatal.
According to the criminal complaint against Owens, he was observed making his left turn by crossing onto the wrong side of the street, using a lane intended for oncoming traffic. The light for Lough was green, and she had the right of way. Owens told police that after he hit Lough, he quickly stopped and put the truck in park, running to its rear, where he saw Lough lying between the back wheels.
"She was wearing her helmet, followed the signs, and did everything right," Lough's loved ones wrote on a page created to crowdfund her burial. She spent most of her life on the west coast, and her family was hoping to raise $10,000 to help it possible for her to be buried there. In just one day, people have donated over $16,000.
Lough is remembered as an "aspiring scientist, artist, and caregiver of all beings. She loved the planet and loved people...She was considerate, empathetic, and so incredible strong willed. She was a fire that burned so bright. She knew how to touch people and inspire everyone around her to be caring and kind to each other. She had a huge impact on the lives of so many people...She had been working [at the Botanical Garden] for months, and loved contributing to data for everyone to use while enjoying the beauties of the nature around her."
Last month, two cyclists were killed by drivers in Brooklyn, and one of them, like Lough, was struck by a truck driver. In that case, however, the driver was not charged or arrested, though he was issued five summonses. The lack of charges against both drivers infuriated safe streets advocates, given that as of last year, police have been able to charge drivers who kill or injure pedestrians or cyclists with a misdemeanor, regardless of whether the driver was intoxicated, breaking numerous laws, or witnessed in the crash by an officer.
"After two cyclist fatalities in Brooklyn that resulted in no charges this month, we are encouraged to see the NYPD and District Attorney Darcel Clark seeking justice in this case," said Brian Zumhagen of Transportation Alternatives. "Police and the City's district attorneys have a key role to play when it comes to holding dangerous drivers accountable and giving victims' families their day in court. If the City is going to make progress toward Vision Zero, law enforcement must defend cyclists' and pedestrians' right of way and send a strong message that reckless driving is not acceptable."
Owens was released on his own recognizance, the Bronx DA said, and is due to appear in court on June 27th. He faces up to a year in prison for reckless driving, and up to an additional three months for failure to yield.
Tagged
bronx
cis
cyclist fatality
heather lough
new york botanical garden
right of way
robert owens
vision zero
Miranda Katz
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