BY THE VILLAGE SUN | Police have released images of a cyclist wanted for questioning in the death of Priscilla Loke, who was fatally struck by a white electric CitiBike in Chinatown on Sept. 5.
Surveillance-camera video reportedly shows police officers talking to the cyclist after the incident, but then, for some reason, letting him walk away — without having recorded his name or information.
According to police, Loke, 69, was standing in the crosswalk at the northeast corner of Grand and Chrystie Streets around 10:30 a.m. She had just run an errand and was heading back to her longtime job at the Chinatown Head Start program, at Mott and Kenmare Streets, where she was an assistant director. The 65-pound CitiBike that struck her was traveling northbound on Chrystie Street. Police said the impact slammed her to the ground, causing her to sustain severe head trauma. Loke was pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital two days later.
Loke’s niece and nephew and the Chinatown community say they want answers from police on why the cyclist was just allowed to walk away. Members of the Head Start also said the intersection at Grand and Chrystie is very congested and chaotic and that the two-way bike lane there makes it especially dangerous since pedestrians never know which direction bikes will be coming from or which way to look.
The surveillance photos of the cyclist show him wearing gray pants and a white T-shirt, with a large blue bag over his shoulder, and sporting white earbuds, a white necklace and zigzag-style box braids.
Police ask that anyone with information call the N.Y.P.D.’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted on the Crime Stoppers Web site at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on Twitter at @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential. Tips leading to an arrest and indictment can result in rewards of up to $3,500.
The Village Sun has reached out to Lyft for comment, but the CitiBike operator has not responded.
Why did the police let him walk away?