Chicago Cyclist Dies After Hit and Run

How is this "accidental" when it's a hit and run? Why are they giving up so quickly in finding his killer? Do better Chicago Police Department!


"An autopsy released Tuesday found he died of head injuries from a motor vehicle striking a pedestrian, the medical examiner’s office said. His death was ruled accidental. The man lived several blocks north of the crash site in Pulaski Park. A police spokesperson said the investigation was suspended due to a lack of leads."

https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2019/10/30/20939804/bicyclist-di...

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Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on October 30, 2019 at 12:28pm

Is it just me, or does it seem that an increasing proportion of collisions between cyclists and drivers these days end with the drivers just driving away? 

Permalink Reply by ketoguychicago on October 30, 2019 at 2:34pm

https://aaafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/18-0058_Hit-an...

This is broader than bikes but indeed shows an increase of hit-and-runs even beyond those related to cycling, including pedestrians. While I don't think this study fully indexes for population growth and growth in miles traveled, it cites the increasing trend you pointed out nevertheless.  What's interesting is that when indexed for population, the risk is 4x in some states versus other.  Maine, good.  Nevada and many south/southeast states, not good.

One hypothesis is as the penalties for drunk driving increase, the incentive to flee from an incident increases.  For this particular incident, the 2am Saturday night/Sunday morning occurrence was in a high-risk time frame.

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/811523#...

Permalink Reply by Paul Lazzaro on October 31, 2019 at 3:12am

I've been watching the pedestrian/cyclist fatality stats in Chicago for a few years.  It seems 1/4-1/3 of all the killers flee the scene.  They're not human in my book.

Permalink Reply by Paul Lazzaro on October 31, 2019 at 4:24am

Wow.

Permalink Reply by SixtyTwoPercent on October 31, 2019 at 2:31pm

Stunning.

Turn in your humanity card and please, please just go live in Alaska or something. I really hope you don't honestly think this way and that you are just trolling. 

Stunning.

Permalink Reply by David P. on October 31, 2019 at 4:28am

Approximately a third of traffic fatalities in Chicago are hit-and-run crashes. 

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on October 31, 2019 at 4:03am

Here's the Streetsblog writeup, minus the "robot car" language from the Sun-Times.

https://chi.streetsblog.org/2019/10/30/police-suspend-search-for-dr...

Permalink Reply by ad on October 31, 2019 at 6:00am

For someone that spouts a lot of VC "you'll be fine if you just act right on the road" garbage, you certainly seem to be suggesting the roads in this area wouldn't be safe for any cyclist from midnight to 3 a.m.  Curious how you square those ideas as a VC backer, though I'm sure it'll be something equally offensive to your last post.  

Permalink Reply by ad on October 31, 2019 at 5:56am

This is pretty disturbing.  CPD called off a search for the vehicle after 10 days, and never even released a photo (which makes it sound like there actually might be one)?  That's crazy.  This is a vehicular homicide and a felony once the driver fled.  This type of investigation should never be "suspended," and especially not after less than two weeks.  

Permalink Reply by David Barish on October 31, 2019 at 10:02am

With the  every increasing reality of  cameras at intersections aimed at the  streets I  find it weird that there is simply crickets,  nothing. No leads. The time of day seems to  me to  make it easier to find a suspect vehicle. There are  less of them at this time of day. 

There is no camera showing  a vehicle matching  the description  the victim was able to  give?  Strange.  Just last week I  was talking with a friend who never uses the  Go Pro his  kid give  him  as a  gift.  I agreed thinking, "it's kind of cool, but would I use it?" I wonder  if I need to  revisit that thought  process. Yes, this would be for litigation  purposes.  If I get erased from the street and my body and  bike mangled I want my wife and  my daughters to pursue the driver  of that vehicle.  It will not do me any good but it would do something for them. It will not get me back and it will  not erase the pain in their hearts but it's the  best we can  offer and they would deserve something for my erasure and for the loss of one of the people who was contributing  to the household.

Let's reverse this. I am driving home late at  night and I hear a bad sound  and  see that I have hit a bike and it's rider is on the ground. Nobody else is there.  If I drive away I cannot  help that rider who's life may depend on getting  prompt  medical  attention. If I  drive away I may have done nothing  wrong before (perhaps it was the cyclist's fault) but I have  no surely broken the law by fleeing and done something I will have too live with in hitting  and running. If I drive  away I will  make any question  of whether  my behavior was right  or wrong when my vehicle hit that bike more loaded against me because innocents don't run,  do they?.  If I drive away I will  be the inhuman person  who has no value for another   life.  Yeah, I am  sticking  around even  if it may cost me a license to drive or my license to  practice law or money or worse. 

Permalink Reply by ketoguychicago on October 31, 2019 at 1:56pm

Alas, more than half the Chicago fatal hit & run cases never get solved.

What's maybe more incredulous is that while we'd contend that both are too low, the fatal hit and run solve rate is better than the homicide rate, by more than2x.   (45%H&R versus <20% homicide - the rate moves around and is ofter lower)  Related reading:

https://www.npr.org/local/309/2019/07/25/744903181/police-data-most...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/09/21/chicago-police-homic...

Permalink Reply by Brian S on November 1, 2019 at 5:36am
I am not a medical professional, but my understanding is that after initial injury things can be OK, person conscious, etc. but the swelling in the brain can increase and cause subsequent death.

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