Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Driver Charged For Killing NYC Bicyclist On Oklahoma Highway
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 15, 2016
Modified Jan 15, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 15, 2016
Modified Jan 15, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
An driver who was apparently looking at her phone when she fatally struck a bicyclist on a state highway in Oklahoma was charged with first-degree manslaughter yesterday. The victim was Patrick Wanninkhof, a 25-year-old NYC public school teacher who had been biking cross-country to raise awareness and money for affordable housing.
Wanninkhof and Bridget Anderson, 22, both participating in Bike and Build's ride, were riding on State Highway 152 on July 30, 2015, when, at around 8 a.m., Sarah Morris, 34, hit them. The Oklahoman reports:
Morris did not give Wanninkhof and another cyclist, Bridget Anderson, the legally required three feet of space while she was driving and failed to see the cyclists in time to avoid hitting them because she was looking at her phone, court documents state. Morris also faces a misdemeanor count of overtaking a bicycle.
Wanninkhof taught physics and computer science
to Bronx public school students; he called himself a "STEM Educator with a passion for Social Justice."
His father told the Oklahoman, "It doesn't feel like great news, but it does feel like there is a sense of justice and there will be accountability, and I think that's where I take a lot of comfort. This issue is recognized by the state of Oklahoma that this is a serious, serious offense that occurred."
Bike Law attorney Peter Wilborn, who is representing the Wanninkhof family, issued a statement, "Too many times, we’ve heard that a cycling fatality is just an ‘accident,’ but they rarely are. Too many times, prosecutors have refused to file criminal charges when a reckless driver kills one of us, as in a recent bike-car fatality in Maryland. But not in this case here. We hope this is a sign of a turning tide, a sign of justice for cyclists across the country who are hit and killed by distracted or reckless drivers."
In NYC, district attorneys rarely prosecute drivers who kill pedestrians and cyclists.
Tagged
distracted driving
manslaughter
oklahoma
Patrick Wanninkhof
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NJ early voting begins Saturday. Here's everything you need to know.
Our 2026 New Jersey voter’s guide for this year’s midterm elections.
By
Mike Hayes
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 11:01 a.m. ET
Countdown clocks are coming to an NYC bus stop near you
New York City bus service isn't exactly reliable, but new digital countdown clocks will give riders a better sense of how long they have to wait.
By
Stephen Nessen
News
Countdown clocks are coming to an NYC bus stop near you
New York City bus service isn't exactly reliable, but new digital countdown clocks will give riders a better sense of how long they have to wait.
By
Stephen Nessen
Are NJ schools unconstitutionally segregated? It's back to the courts to decide.
By
Colleen O'Dea
Early Addition: New Jersey considering a ban on chewing gum because of microplastics
By
James Ramsay
Queens mother charged with murdering her son after failed suicide attempt, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .