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Cyclist dies in Central Park after crashing into off-leash dog, NYPD says
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published Oct 5, 2026
Modified Oct 5, 2026
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Ramsey Khalifeh Gothamist
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published Oct 5, 2026
Modified Oct 5, 2026
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A 71-year-old cyclist was killed after he collided with an off-leash dog in Central Park’s East Drive roadway Monday morning, according to the NYPD.
Police said around 8 a.m. they received a call of a cyclist struck near East Drive and 84th Street just steps from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While riding his bike, the man collided with a dog that was unleashed and ran onto the roadway, police said.
The cyclist, who was wearing a helmet, fell to the ground and suffered trauma on his head and body. The unidentified man was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center and pronounced dead, police said.
Police said the dog wasn’t injured, and both the dog and its owner remained on the scene. An investigation into the incident is ongoing, police said.
Unleashed dogs are allowed in many areas of the park from 6 to 9 a.m., and then from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., according to a guide published by the Central Park Conservancy. However, dogs must always be leashed along the park's drives.
Police told Gothamist the dog was in the park when off-leash dogs are allowed and are not expecting any enforcement actions. But a statement from Central Park Conservancy spokesperson Kat Brady said that the park only serves a "peaceful, joyful respite" in New York if users "hold to the essential agreement of public space: know and follow the rules, and respect your fellow visitors."
"The tragedy this morning and other recent incidents show what can happen when that agreement is broken," Brady said.
Locals who go to the park daily said the particular intersection has been dangerous for a while, notably because of the bend of the road as it approaches the traffic light, making it less visible for cyclists and pedestrians.
“I’ve seen a lot of near misses,” 71-year-old parkgoer James Wacht said. Wacht didn’t have information about the specific crash, but said cyclists are often moving fast “and they can't stop on a dime, like sometimes they have to. You have a dog that darts out into the road, you've gotta be able to stop.”
David Nevins, 51, said he walks through the area during lunch time, and has always found the intersection — which is located after a curve in the park road — difficult to cross due to bicyclists zooming by.
“ I always said there should be some type of crossing guard here like that,” Nevins said. “ Pedestrians have no rights right here, and it's a blind bend, they're flying down there, and they don't care.”
Brady urged park visitors to act responsibly and observe the rules of the park: "Leash your dog, observe speed limits, and follow the rules of the Park."
The NYPD has yet to disclose the identity of the cyclist, pending family notification.
This story has been updated with additional information. Charles Lane and Catalina Gonella contributed reporting.
Tagged
nypd
parks
transportation
Ramsey Khalifeh
Ramsey Khalifeh is a transportation reporter on the NYC Accountability desk covering the largest transit system in the country. He was previously a general assignment reporter at Gothamist and worked on the Boston Globe's metro and copy desk. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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