Bicyclist dead after accident involving police car in Burbank

BURBANK, Ill. (CBS) -- A bicyclist was killed this week in a deadly accident involving a police vehicle in southwest suburban Burbank.

As CBS 2's Marybel González reported Tuesday night, the accident happened around 10:30 am. Monday at 77th Street and Central Avenue. The scene is just steps from St. Laurence High School, and the speed limit on the streets where the accident happened is 20 mph when children are present.

But since it was Labor Day, students were out at the time of the accident.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's office identified the woman who died in the accident as Denise Blidy, 66. We spoke to Blidy's family – who did not want to go on camera – but who said they are distraught and seeking answers to what happened.

Police have not specified whether the officer collided with Blidy, or if Blidy crashed into the police unit. At this point, they are only calling it an accident.

We did speak to a neighbor who heard the impact and came rushing outside – and that was when he realized something bad had happened.

A neighbor provided us with a photo of the scene, where the bike was seen on the ground in front of the police unit. 

The neighbor said he saw Blidy lying on the ground – and he initially thought the officer was helping her, but he then realized the officer had been involved in the accident when he heard the officer making a call to dispatch.

The neighbor said he also complained numerous times to the police commander about officers blowing through the intersection stop sign and driving through the area without their lights on. It is unclear if that contributed to the accident.

We do know that police were on the scene Monday evening asking neighbors to give them any surveillance video they may have captured of the incident.

We have also reached out on numerous occasions to the Burbank Police Department for more information on the accident.

They said they are not releasing any more details until they have concluded their investigation. They also will not specify if they are investigating themselves, or if an outside agency is looking into the accident.