A garbage truck driver has been charged for drunk driving after hitting an Australian woman cycling in New York City as she swerved to avoid a car blocking a bike lane.
Madison Jane Lyden, 23, veered into traffic about 4:45pm on Friday (local time) when a stopped car suddenly pulled out in front of her, police said.
US network NBC reported a friend and passers-by delivered first aid but she was pronounced dead at the hospital she was taken to.
Felipe D Chairez, 44, has been charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while ability impaired and operating a commercial vehicle with an alcohol reading of 0.04 per cent – 0.06 per cent or less, the New York Police Department (NYPD) confirmed.
Beer cans were found in the garbage truck and he was arrested at the scene, local media reported.
It is understood Ms Lyden was not wearing a helmet.
“I was just praying, ‘please God, help her’,” one witness told NBC.
“I will never forget that, that gave me the chills.”
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio visited the scene.
“It’s just disgusting what happened,” he told the NBC.
“Here’s someone doing everything possible, [she was] clearly driving in the bike lane. We know in some of these cases we’ve lost innocent people because drivers didn’t care.”
New York City transportation advocacy group Transportation Alternatives said it was “a crash waiting to happen” because “lazy and entitled drivers” were parking, dropping people off and idling in bike lanes.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said it was providing consular assistance to Ms Lyden’s family. ABC/AP
