Pedestrian struck by cyclist in Downtown DC dies from injuriess

Sad news to report from the DC cycling world today: a pedestrian in downtown DC was fatally struck by a cyclist Thursday evening.

Jane Bennett Clark of Takoma Park was hit in a crosswalk about 6:45 p.m. as she stepped off the southwest curb at 13th and I streets NW. The site is across the street from Franklin Square.

Clark was a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, according to the Kiplinger website.

On Thursday, the bicycle was southbound on 13th Street when it struck Clark, causing her to fall, police said. The bicyclist remained at the scene, police said.

Police have not said whether the bicyclist went through a red light or if Clark stepped into the street against a pedestrian signal. Police said the cyclist remained at the scene and no charges have been filed pending the conclusion of the investigation.

The whole thing is pretty heartbreaking

Clark was taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center with a head injury. She died Friday. Her relatives did not wish to discuss the incident. Her bosses said that she had three grown children and one grandchild, and that one of her daughters is getting married next month.

It's the first such fatality for a pedestrian in DC since 2010, when 78-year old Quan Chua was also struck in downtown DC (that crime was never solved) and the first in the area since 2012 when 80-year old Ita Lapina was struck and killed on the Four Mile Run Trail.

These kinds of crashes are quite rare, and exclusively involve older pedestrian who strike their heads. This is only the 9th I know of going all the way back to 1905, but that doesn't make it any less tragic or any more acceptable. 

Previous pedestrians killed in crashes with bicyclists

1905 - Professor Otis T. Bullard (89yo) at 9th and N, NW - according to Joseph Meyers the cyclist (who was apprehended 10 days after the crash) the musician stepped out from behind a team of horses and Meyers hit him. He helped him to the curb and noticed Bullard's head was bleeding, Bullard assured him he was OK and he went to work. Only later did he discover that Bullard had died. Found guilty of careless cycling. (more here)

1921 - Professor Emile F. Christiana (65yo) at 11th and Clifton, NW -  He was hit by a special delivery messenger. 2 days later the coroner exonerated him. Death was "accidental"

1979 - A 63 year old man at the corner of 10th and Penn, NW  (maybe)

1983 - An 82 year old man on 14th Street, NW downtown (maybe)

1998 - In DC

2/4/2007 - Gary Scott Phillips (58 yo) on New Hampshire Ave, near 2nd Street, NW - struck by a fast moving cyclist. Phillips  might have passed behind a car that was halted

10/26/2010 - Quan Chua (78 yo) in an alley east of 600 block of Massachusetts NW - hit and run collision

6/11/2012 - Ita Lapina (80 yo) on Four Mile Run Trail near Columbia Pike in Arlington - Passing cyclist hit ped who stepped to the left after hearing "to your left"

Comments

[Crickey7]

Condolences to her family.

[Greenbelt]

Heartbreak indeed. I had a pedestrian walk into me once, but she didn't fall, I did. I was filtering between parked cars and stopped traffic on a heavily laden commuter bike, and when she stepped out from between the parked cars I couldn't stop in time. We sort of shoulder bumped and I tipped over. Thankfully she didn't fall, and all I had was a bent fender. We were both apologizing to each other, but I felt terrible.

It's a busy city and we can all be a bit more careful.

[Roo_Beav]

I'm glad WaPo is not allowing comments on their stories.

[Crickey7]

They did for the first article. It was ugly. The Post has a policy of not allowing comments for stories involving the death of non public individuals, though they sometimes forget.

[DaveS]

(The links to the '79, '83, and '07 reports all go to the '07 WaPo story.)

[washcycle]

Yes that's the only source I have for the 79 and 83 ones.