Tragic Accident Kills Pennsylvania Teen During Charity Ride
Just 10 days from his destination, John Anczarski's cross-country charity bike marathon ended in tragedy this week. While cycling through New Mexico, an SUV ran the 19-year-old Pennsylvania native off the road near Laguna, New Mexico, about 50 miles west of Albuquerque. Anczarski suffered severe head trauma and other serious personal injuries in the car-bicycle accident. He was transported to the University of New Mexico hospital where he was pronounced dead Tuesday.
An engineering student at the University of Colorado, Anczarski and three friends left Ringtown, Pennsylvania, Anczarski's hometown, on May 23 headed for California. The group was riding in support of Anczarski's ambitious charity project, "The Pink Pedal: Riding Hard to Fight Breast Cancer." Garnering community support along their route, the young men had raised several thousand dollars before the fatal car accident took Anczarski's life.
Anczarski's fellow riders reported that an older man was driving the SUV when the car struck Anczarski. They said the driver did not immediately stop but did return to the crash site. Because the accident occurred on tribal lands owned by the Pueblo Indians, the car accident Investigation has been turned over to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
A bicycle is no match for a car. Car-bicycle accidents are all too common when such mismatched vehicles share the road. According to the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, an estimated 36,000 Philadelphia commuters bicycle to work at least once a month. Bike traffic is particularly heavy in Philadelphia's Center City and on bridges crossing the Schuylkill. The number of bicycle riders cruising Philadelphia streets has more than tripled over the last decade. With more bikers on the roads during the summer, both cyclists and car drivers need to drive defensively and follow the rules of the road to avoid accidents.
If you are involved in a bicycle-car accident, an experienced Philadelphia personal injury lawyer can ensure that your rights are protected.
