September 02, 2025
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Philadelphia police are investigating a hit-and-run crash that killed a man riding his bike in West Philadelphia on Tuesday morning.
A bicyclist was struck and killed by a speeding driver in a hit-and-run crash Tuesday morning in West Philadelphia, police said.
The crash happened around 9:50 a.m. on the 1600 block of Belmont Avenue, a section of Fairmount Park near the Please Touch Museum and the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center.
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A black Dodge Charger and a black Chrysler were both speeding along Belmont Avenue as they approached Avenue of the Republic, where the cyclist was traveling east when he was struck by one of the vehicles, police said. The cyclist was thrown from his bike and later taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. He has not been identified.
On the way to the scene, investigators spotted the Dodge Charger parked on the side of the 3200 block of Sedgley Avenue. Police said they observed a group of men who appeared to be inspecting the front end of the car for damage. Officers stopped to investigate and seized the vehicle. Authorities did not provide details on the whereabouts of the Chrysler and whether the driver of that car is sought in the investigation.
No arrests have been made, police said.
The crash marks the fourth time this year that a cyclist has been killed in a collision with a car in the city. There were three cyclists killed in crashes in Philadelphia last year, down from 10 in 2023. Earlier this year, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia reported that traffic deaths in the city have plateaued in recent years after spiking at 158 in 2020. There were 124 traffic deaths last year and 64 this year, including Tuesday morning's crash.
In this year's budget, Philadelphia made a $30 million investment over the next six years in the city's Vision Zero initiative to improve traffic safety. The increase in funding came a year after Mayor Cherelle Parker had made cuts to the Vision Zero program. The city saw an uptick in activism among cyclists after 30-year-old Barbara Friedes, a doctor at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, was fatally struck by a drunk driver in Rittenhouse in July 2024. The driver in that case was sentenced to spend between six and 20 years in prison.
Police said anyone with information about Tuesday's hit-and-run crash can call the department's tip line at 215-686-8477 or submit an anonymous tip online.
