Heather Lough
Heather Lough
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Age: 29
Location:
Southern Blvd
Between Metro North Station and the NYBG
Bronx , NY
United States
From The Daily News
An aspiring botanist who had just started her dream job at the New York
Botanical Garden died from injuries she suffered when she was hit by a
commercial truck, police said.
Heather Lough, 29, of Kips Bay, had just pedaled her red and black Fuji
bicycle out of the Metro-North station near the celebrated garden on
her way to work at about 9:30 a.m. on April 27.
Motorist Robert Owens, 45, of upper Manhattan, was turning left in his
Ryder truck onto Southern Blvd. at high speed when his front passenger
side bumper hit her, police and the criminal complaint said.
From StreetsBlog
A truck driver struck and killed a woman outside the New York
Botanical Garden in the Bronx last week. He has been charged with
reckless driving and failure to yield.
Heather Lough. Photo via YouCaring
The victim, 29-year-old Heather Lough, was heading to her job at the
botanical garden on the morning of Wednesday, April 27, when Robert
Owens, 45, hit her with a commercial box truck, according to NYPD and an
online memorial page established to raise funds for Lough’s burial expenses.
The crash happened at around 9:30 a.m. outside NYBG’s Mosholu Gate. Police
said Owens drove out of the botanical garden and made a left turn onto
Southern Boulevard, striking Lough with the front bumper of the truck on
the passenger side. An anonymous tipster told Streetsblog witnesses saw
Owens “on his phone” at the time of the collision.
NYPD said Lough was leaving the Metro-North Botanical Garden Station,
across the street from the NYBG, when she was struck. It’s not clear if
Lough was biking or walking (the tipster said Lough was seen walking
her bike), but in either case, she would have had the right of way.
Lough was taken to Jacobi Hospital with head and body trauma. She died on Monday.
Police charged Owens, who lives in Manhattan, with reckless driving.
He was also charged under the city’s Right of Way Law. Both offenses are
unclassified misdemeanors. The NYPD public information office said the
department’s Collision Investigation Squad is still investigating the
crash.
A second source who works at NYBG and asked to remain anonymous said
the intersection is “very dangerous” and drivers “regularly speed
through the light.”
“She was wearing her helmet, followed the signs, and did everything right,” Lough’s memorial page reads. “However, the driver was not paying attention, and ran over her.”
It’s unknown who owns the truck Owens was driving. A botanical garden representative told Streetsblog Owens does not work there.
Transportation Alternatives Deputy Director Caroline Samponaro
credited NYPD and District Attorney Darcel Clark for pursuing charges in
this case. “There is a critical role that NYPD in partnership with the
DAs have to play in holding reckless drivers accountable,” Samponaro
said, “and in doing so sending a strong message that reckless driving is
not acceptable on New York City streets.”
Owens is next scheduled to appear in court in June. We will follow this case as it develops.
According to The Bronx Chronicle the NYPD may have done a followup investigation at the crash site months later.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Age: 29
Location:
Southern Blvd
Between Metro North Station and the NYBG
Bronx , NY
United States
From The Daily News
An aspiring botanist who had just started her dream job at the New York
Botanical Garden died from injuries she suffered when she was hit by a
commercial truck, police said.
Heather Lough, 29, of Kips Bay, had just pedaled her red and black Fuji
bicycle out of the Metro-North station near the celebrated garden on
her way to work at about 9:30 a.m. on April 27.
Motorist Robert Owens, 45, of upper Manhattan, was turning left in his
Ryder truck onto Southern Blvd. at high speed when his front passenger
side bumper hit her, police and the criminal complaint said.
From StreetsBlog
A truck driver struck and killed a woman outside the New York
Botanical Garden in the Bronx last week. He has been charged with
reckless driving and failure to yield.
Heather Lough. Photo via YouCaring
The victim, 29-year-old Heather Lough, was heading to her job at the
botanical garden on the morning of Wednesday, April 27, when Robert
Owens, 45, hit her with a commercial box truck, according to NYPD and an
online memorial page established to raise funds for Lough’s burial expenses.
The crash happened at around 9:30 a.m. outside NYBG’s Mosholu Gate. Police
said Owens drove out of the botanical garden and made a left turn onto
Southern Boulevard, striking Lough with the front bumper of the truck on
the passenger side. An anonymous tipster told Streetsblog witnesses saw
Owens “on his phone” at the time of the collision.
NYPD said Lough was leaving the Metro-North Botanical Garden Station,
across the street from the NYBG, when she was struck. It’s not clear if
Lough was biking or walking (the tipster said Lough was seen walking
her bike), but in either case, she would have had the right of way.
Lough was taken to Jacobi Hospital with head and body trauma. She died on Monday.
Police charged Owens, who lives in Manhattan, with reckless driving.
He was also charged under the city’s Right of Way Law. Both offenses are
unclassified misdemeanors. The NYPD public information office said the
department’s Collision Investigation Squad is still investigating the
crash.
A second source who works at NYBG and asked to remain anonymous said
the intersection is “very dangerous” and drivers “regularly speed
through the light.”
“She was wearing her helmet, followed the signs, and did everything right,” Lough’s memorial page reads. “However, the driver was not paying attention, and ran over her.”
It’s unknown who owns the truck Owens was driving. A botanical garden representative told Streetsblog Owens does not work there.
Transportation Alternatives Deputy Director Caroline Samponaro
credited NYPD and District Attorney Darcel Clark for pursuing charges in
this case. “There is a critical role that NYPD in partnership with the
DAs have to play in holding reckless drivers accountable,” Samponaro
said, “and in doing so sending a strong message that reckless driving is
not acceptable on New York City streets.”
Owens is next scheduled to appear in court in June. We will follow this case as it develops.
According to The Bronx Chronicle the NYPD may have done a followup investigation at the crash site months later.