15th cyclist killed in 2019; 'dangerous surge' says mayor
NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - A cement truck struck and killed a bicyclist in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on Monday, authorities said.
Devra Freelander, 28, was the 15th person on a bicycle killed in New York City so far this year. In all of 2018, 10 were killed.
Freelander was also the third person to be killed on a bike in a one-week span.
On June 28, a 57-year-old was killed by a teenage driver while riding through Brownsville.
On June 24, a 20-year-old delivery cyclist was struck by a box truck driver in Flatiron.
In a statement, Mayor Bill de Blasio said his administration would take action due to the "dangerous surge" in deaths of cyclists.
"I have directed the NYPD to immediately launch a major enforcement action that will encompass every precinct and crack down on dangerous driving behavior like parking in bike lanes," de Blasio said. "At the same time, I have charged the Department of Transportation with developing a new cyclist safety plan to make biking in our city safer."