A 71-year-old cyclist was killed Monday morning after colliding with an unleashed Golden Retriever that ran into his path on a busy roadway inside New York City’s Central Park.
The fatal crash happened at about 8:20 a.m. on Oct. 5 as the man was riding north on East Drive near East 84th Street, according to police.
Investigators said the Golden Retriever entered the roadway in front of the cyclist, who struck the dog and was thrown from his bicycle.
The man suffered severe injuries to his head and body after hitting the pavement.
Emergency crews rushed him to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
His name had not been publicly released as of Monday while authorities worked to notify his family.
The Golden Retriever was not injured, and its owner remained at the scene after the collision, authorities said.
No arrests were immediately made. Police said the investigation remained ongoing and initially indicated that they did not suspect criminal activity.
The circumstances surrounding the dog’s leash quickly became a major issue following the crash.
Central Park allows dogs to run off-leash in designated locations between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., as well as during certain nighttime hours.
But those rules do not mean dogs can be unleashed everywhere in the park.
The Central Park Conservancy confirmed after Monday’s tragedy that dogs are required to remain leashed on the Central Park Drives at all times — including the stretch of East Drive where the fatal collision occurred.
“We are heartbroken to hear of the fatal incident that occurred in Central Park this morning involving a cyclist and an off-leash dog,” the Conservancy said in a statement.
The organization urged park visitors to follow safety rules, reminding dog owners to use leashes and cyclists to obey speed limits.
The death also comes amid heightened concerns about safety on the heavily traveled Central Park loop.
Less than two weeks earlier, another serious collision occurred near the same stretch of East Drive.
Pedestrian Richie O’Brien was struck by a cyclist near East 84th Street on Sept. 23 and later died from his injuries, according to local reports.
Monday’s collision has now intensified the debate over how cyclists, pedestrians and dog owners safely share one of the country’s busiest urban parks.
Some people in the park following the crash questioned whether cyclists were traveling too quickly through crowded areas.
“People are dying out here,” one cyclist told the New York Post while riding through the area.
Another nearby resident, Joseph Albanese, argued that cyclists sometimes travel “entirely too fast,” but said he believed responsibility in Monday’s crash rested with the dog owner.
“They shouldn’t have had the dog off the leash,” he said.
Upper East Side resident Tom Jones said he owns two dogs but does not allow them off-leash near the main park roadway, even during hours when off-leash activity is permitted elsewhere.
At the same time, Jones cautioned against eliminating off-leash privileges throughout the park, saying officials must balance safety with the ability of New Yorkers to enjoy the sprawling green space with their pets.
Central Park covers approximately 843 acres and receives tens of millions of visitors each year, creating areas where cyclists, runners, pedestrians and dog walkers regularly cross paths.
For dog owners, city regulations generally require animals to remain on leashes no longer than six feet unless they are inside a designated dog run or an approved off-leash area during permitted hours.
Central Park has numerous dog-friendly areas, but the park’s drives are specifically excluded from unrestricted off-leash use.
Police have not announced any charges against the dog’s owner, and the investigation into exactly how the deadly collision unfolded remains active.
