Hit-and-run kills bicycle rider

A hit-and-run early Monday morning claimed the life of 26-year-old Jose Sipriano DeJesus, an employee of La Terrasse Restaurant, police officials said.

Though the female driver fled the scene, she was soon stopped by Penn Police officers when they observed two broken tail lights on her vehicle.

At 12:05 a.m. on Feb. 18, Sipriano was bicycling east on Chestnut Street when, near the 3200 block, he was struck by the female driver, according to police. Upon impact, Sipriano was thrown from his bicycle onto the pavement as the driver sped away.

Witnesses immediately called the Philadelphia Police from their cell phones, and medics arrived on the scene shortly afterward. Sipriano was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and was pronounced dead from severe head injuries at 12:35 a.m.

Minutes later, unaware of what had occurred, Penn police officers noticed a car proceeding towards the corner of 33rd and Chestnut with both of its tail lights dim. As the officers turned to follow and stop the vehicle, the car turned westbound on Walnut Street and continued at high speeds. As officers caught up with the vehicle, they noticed the front passenger side of the wind shield was also badly damaged.

The officers stopped the woman on the 3700 block of Walnut Street, but before leaving their vehicle, the officers heard reports of a hit-and-run come over the radio. The officers questioned her about the damage to her car, and the woman eventually admitted that she had hit somebody.

The Philadelphia Police's Accident Investigation Unit is currently handling the matter, and as of Tuesday afternoon, and though officials would not release her name, the female driver has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death.

This is the first accident on campus since 1999 that has involved a fatality, but since then there have been several other collisions between pedestrians and drivers involving injuries.

The number of accidents involving pedestrians has even inspired members of the Penn community to rally for awareness of pedestrian safety issues.

Earlier this month, roughly 150 people descended upon the intersection of 34th and Walnut streets to stand behind Ira Winston, a Penn computing director, who was hit by a car at that very intersection on Jan. 22.

Immediately following the collision, Winston was rushed to the HUP for surgery on the two fractures he suffered in his right leg.

In the fall of 1999, two bicyclists were struck by cars and killed in separate incidents.

In October of that year, 70-year-old Benjamin Tencer was hit by a car while biking through the intersection of 34th and Walnut streets. Tencer, who was taking classes at the University, died three days after the accident.

Less than a week after Tencer's death, Wharton freshman Michael Yang was hit by a truck while biking on 33rd and Spruce streets. Yang was pronounced dead at HUP a few hours after the accident.

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