The wife of a CBS senior vice president was struck by a bicyclist in New York’s Central Park. The 58-year-old woman was reportedly stepping off a curb when she was hit by a bicycle being operated by a 31-year-old man who was swerving to keep from hitting a group of pedestrians. The victim was kept on life support for a few days before she died.

The area where this pedestrian accident took place limits bicyclists to a speed of 25 mph and requires them to yield to pedestrians and slow down at crosswalks. According to a news report, this woman’s death has served to highlight tensions that exist between cyclists and pedestrians in such a popular public place.

Witnesses said the bicyclist yelled for the woman to get out of the way, but it did not seem like she heard him. After the accident, he remained at the scene. He has not been charged with any offense, though an investigation was still ongoing four days after the accident.

Pedestrian accidents involving any sort of moving vehicle can, unfortunately, end in tragedy. In cases like this one, a police investigation may find that a bicyclist was negligent in swerving into an individual to avoid hitting others if it was possible to simply maintain a slower speed. If such evidence is then presented to a court, a ruling could be made that holds the bicyclist liable for the pedestrian’s death and orders compensation. This compensation may cover medical and funerary expenses, lost wages and the value of support and services the decedent provided to family members.

Source: CBS News, “Wife of CBS Senior VP hit by bicyclist, dies”, September 22, 2014