Cyclist Killed by Truck After Striking Open Car Door on Long Island, New York

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY- Abc7ny.com reports that a cyclist was killed in a traffic accident last Tuesday, May 29, 2018. The collision occurred when the cyclist, Aaron Padwee, 45, was traveling north on 21^st Street when he slammed into the door of a vehicle that a driver opened after parking on the side of the street. Padwee fell off of his bike when he hit the car door causing him to fall into the street where a white box truck ran him over.

Padwee was taken to Booth Memorial Hospital but was pronounced dead.

According to the victim’s family, Padwee died instantly. They stated that while the cyclist did not have a helmet on when the accident occurred, the force of the impact was so severe that a helmet would not have saved Padwee’s life.

The family believes that the driver of the truck had no way of avoiding the accident, but that the person who opened the car door without first checking to see if anyone was coming should be consideredat fault.

The truck driver wasdriving without a license at the time of the crash and was takeninto custody.

The Queens District Attorney decided not to file any charges against the driver who opened her car door without looking. The City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer thinks the decision not to charge the driver was wrong. He believes the actions were reckless and that there should be consequences for drivers who behave recklessly and cause harm to other.

Twenty-four cyclists died in New York City last year, and another 4400 suffered injuries because of motor vehicle accidents.

Padwee, who was on his way home from work when he was hit, was a union carpenter who loved photography and travel.