A 71-year-old cyclist died on Monday, October 5, after colliding with an off-leash dog in New York’s Central Park, according to police.
An NYPD source told TMZ that officers received a call shortly after 8 a.m. about the incident at 84th Street and East Drive. The man was wearing a helmet when his bicycle struck a golden retriever, causing him to fall to the ground. Emergency responders took him to NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The dog was not injured, and its owner remained at the scene, the police source said. Sources told FOX 5 New York that the owner attempted to give the cyclist CPR. According to the Central Park Conservancy, dogs may be off-leash in permitted areas between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. However, they must remain on a short leash on park drives at all times.
No summonses had been issued to the dog’s owner at the time of the report, according to the NYPD source. The investigation remains ongoing.