Teen Driver Hits Bicyclist on Staten Island

Last night, a Staten Island resident was critically injured when a 19-year-old driver hit him on Mosel Avenue (it's the Staten Island incident on the newsmap). The SI Advance says that the driver, Leon Wilson, had been fleeing undercover police when he crushed 47-year-old Juan-Han Guan with the car. A source says that Wilson was driving around 100mph at one point. Guan's bike was described as being "embedded in the hood of Wilson's car, the frame contorted and the front tire and handlebars broken off."

Police charged Wilson with reckless endangerment, reckless driving, unauthorized use of a vehicle and possession of marijuana. Why unauthorized use of a vehicle? The car was a rented Taurus, and Wilson was under age for renting the car; plus he was only driving with a learner's permit. Wilson apparently fled the car after hitting Guan, but police caught him.

Guan is in critical condition at Staten Island University Hospital, and his right leg may need to be amputated. Guan worked in Midtown Manhattan, but rode his bike between his home in the Concord section and the Grassmere train station and then took the ferry to Manhattan.

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By Jen Chung in News on May 23, 2007 9:37 AM

Comments [rss]

mike

Spud, please crawl back under your rock.

to Kevin

Read the article! The guy was hit at 7pm -- the sun sets quite a bit after that. Nice way to blame the victim! Oh, right, you said "I bet" so you can claim you didn't mean it.

Kevin Bracken

The kid should go away for a loooong time. Wow.

But I bet the guy who was hit wasn't illuminated at all.

Light up your bikes, folks!

Spud Spudly

Actually, I was taking a shot at the NY Times for printing such a stupid story about fixed-gear bikes. But if it's possible to slam hipsters at the same time, then that's a bonus.

ed_Extinct

Unauthorized use of a vehicle is a class A misdemeanor.

Reckless endangerment is a class A misdemeanor.

Reckless driving is a class A misdemeanor.

For possession of less than 25 grams (about 7/8 of an ounce) of marijuana. This is a violation - it is not a crime. While the law does allow for jail time, you usually will pay a fine of $100 plus a surcharge of another $100.

He may also later be charged with leaving the scene of an accident, vehicular assualt and if the victim dies, vehicular manslaughter.

A "Class A misdemeanor" is punishable of up to 1-year in prison, if it's his first arrest.

Reality Czech

Basically, there you are not breaking any laws unless you get caught. So people do what they want these days figuring that most likely nothing will happen. It is this mentality which is bringing this whole country down. The mentality of convenience. DO what is convenient for you and fug everyone else.

Who ever rented this car shoud be charged and the the kid who was driving it should be charged with murder.

JM

This is why I never completely stop and wait at red lights and intersections -- I'd rather be a moving target than a passive one. It's ridiculous to assume cyclists should follow the same letter of the law as a two-ton machine.

JM

Why is this crackhead scumbag not being charged with assault with a deadly weapon? Are any of the charges listed above more than a misdemeanor?

With any luck, this will be his 3rd strike and we'll never have to hear from him again.

And I agree -- who rented this car? Hopefully, a parent or relative, and they should be completely liable. If the perp can't get 25 with an L, let his family rue ever having birthed this animal because their wages will be garnished forever paying a settlement.

As someone who rode to work this morning, this gets me angrier than usual.

panana

Um, the KID was driving the car, not riding the bike. Unless you consider a 47-year old, who may lose a leg, a kid. Oh, you don't care, you just wanted to get a jab in about hipsters.

KIL

if the bicyclist was wearing a helmet then his leg woulndn't need to be amputated.

Josh

Not new, but still stupid.

bwactc

fixed gear bikes without brakes aren't new.

TypeSki

Who ever rented that car should be charged also.

wow

edEx. you idiot!

the solution (obviously) would be passive pursuit. nypd has helecopters, right?

Spud Spudly

Was the kid riding one of those hip, new brake-less bikes that the Times says defines the hipster lifestyle these days the way skateboarding defined a whole new way of living way, way back in the early-90s?