Cyclist Charged In Death Of 67-Year-Old Woman Hit By Bike In Midtown
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A cyclist was arrested Wednesday in the death of a 67-year-old woman who was hit by a bicycle earlier this year in Midtown.
Dameon Doward, 41, of Brooklyn, was charged with two counts of reckless endangerment.
Police said he ran a red light and struck Donna Sturm in a crosswalk on West 57th Street back on April 24. She was rushed to Cornell Hospital with a traumatic brain injury and died 10 days later.
Her family released a statement after her death, saying, "Donna Sturm was a vibrant, energetic and wonderful woman who died as a result of carelessness and negligence."
"She died because a bicyclist completely disregarded the law. She was crossing a street, in the crosswalk, with the light in her favor when she was struck. Unfortunately, she suffered horrific head injuries and, although the doctors tried their best over the last week, they were unable to save her life," the statement continued. "Ted Panken lost his wife and his daughter lost a devoted, loving mother. Donna Sturm's entire family is, simply put, devastated. They will never recover from this loss."
Doward stayed on the scene and received a summons. He refused medical attention.