A 15-year-old girl was killed and a 13-year-old girl was injured after a large truck struck the bicycle they were riding in Manhattanâs East Village on Friday night, leaving police to investigate how the deadly turn unfolded at a busy intersection.
A 15-year-old girl has died and a 13-year-old girl was injured after the bicycle they were riding was struck by a large truck at East 14th Street and First Avenue in Manhattanâs East Village on Friday night. Both teenagers were taken to Bellevue Hospital, where the older girl was pronounced dead and the younger girl was reported in stable condition. The truck driver remained at the scene and cooperated with police. No arrest had been announced, and the NYPD investigation into the circumstances of the collision was continuing.
Truck plows into 2 teens riding bike in NYC, killing one of them: cops https://t.co/LDB5Cm1atc pic.twitter.com/gcT2WaOGaa
â New York Post (@nypost) September 19, 2026
The collision happened at about 9 p.m. on September 18, 2026, at East 14th Street and First Avenue. Police said the girls were traveling west on East 14th Street when a truck making a right turn north onto First Avenue struck them.
Both teenagers were taken to Bellevue Hospital. The 15-year-old was pronounced dead, while the younger girl was reported in stable condition.
Deadly crash happened as truck turned onto First Avenue
The truck was described in local reports as a Badger hydro-excavation vehicle. Photos from the scene showed what appeared to be a badly damaged electric Citi Bike pinned near one of the truckâs wheels.
The driver remained at the scene after the collision and cooperated with investigators. No arrest or criminal charge had been announced in the initial reports.
Police had also not publicly determined whether speed, visibility, traffic signals, blind spots or another factor caused the crash.
Witnesses describe frantic rescue effort
People who witnessed the aftermath described a chaotic emergency response. One witness said bystanders shouted at the truck to stop and initially tried to reach one of the injured girls before police warned them not to move her because of the risk of further injury.
Firefighters and emergency medical crews treated the teenagers at the scene, including performing CPR on the critically injured 15-year-old before she was transported to Bellevue.
Bdin Puangsawasdi, the owner of a nearby restaurant, told the New York Post that he ran outside after his wife heard a loud noise. He said the truck driver appeared deeply distressed after getting out of the vehicle.
Those accounts help describe the scene but do not establish who was responsible for the collision.
Badger says it is cooperating with NYPD
Badger said it was cooperating with the NYPD and other authorities investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The company also expressed condolences to the family and friends of the teenager who died and said its thoughts were with everyone affected.
Large commercial vehicles can have substantial blind spots during turns, but investigators have not said that a blind spot caused this collision.
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Citi Bike rules add important context
The bicycle visible in images from the crash appeared to be an electric Citi Bike, with the 15-year-old reportedly steering and the 13-year-old riding as a passenger.
According to Citi Bikeâs official safety guidance, riders must be at least 16 years old. Citi Bike bicycles are also intended for one rider.
Witnesses cited in local reporting said neither girl appeared to be wearing a helmet.
Those details are relevant background, but they should not be treated as proof that the teenagers caused the collision. Police have not established that age, helmet use or riding together contributed to the fatal impact.
NYPD investigation focuses on final moments before impact
Investigators are expected to review the truckâs movement through the intersection, the bicycleâs position, surveillance video, witness statements and traffic-signal timing as they reconstruct the sequence of events.
The crash also comes amid wider concern over serious collisions involving cyclists, pedestrians and large vehicles. A recent Chatsworth Metro bus crash investigation showed how authorities can take time to establish the full sequence before announcing charges, while the East Nashville semi-truck crash highlighted the public-safety risks posed when heavy commercial vehicles are involved in urban incidents.
The identity of the 15-year-old victim had not been publicly released in the initial reports. The 13-year-old remained stable, and the investigation was continuing with no final finding on fault announced.
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