Police announced on Friday, Feb. 23, that a 28-year-old woman from the Unionport section of The Bronx has been arrested following a 2022 “hit & run” collision in the Soundview section of The Bronx which resulted in the death of a 21-year-old male cyclist.

 

As reported, police said that at around 2.57 p.m. on July 3, 2022, officers responded to a 911 call following a report of a collision in the vicinity of East 172nd Street and Metcalf Avenue. A spokesperson said, “Upon arrival, officers observed an unidentified male bicyclist with severe trauma to the body. EMS responded to the location and transported the aided male to NYC Health and Hospitals/Jacobi, where he was pronounced deceased.”

 

They said a preliminary investigation determined the cyclist had been traveling northbound on Metcalf Avenue when a white 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee which was travelling westbound and making a left turn onto East 172nd Street struck him as it approached the intersection of Metcalf Avenue.

 

Police said the cyclist was travelling northbound on Metcalf Avenue and was ejected from his bike post impact. They said the Jeep continued forward, striking two parked and unoccupied vehicles; a 2021 Hyundai Tuscon, and a 2000 Honda Accord. They said the driver of the Jeep did not remain at the scene and the investigation remained ongoing by the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad.

 

Pursuant to an ongoing investigation, police said on Feb. 23, 2024, that Jetsy Rodriguez, 28, of Haviland Avenue in Unionport was arrested and was charged on Thursday, Feb. 22 with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and leaving the scene of an accident. The deceased was identified as Christian Castelan,  21, of Noble Avenue in Soundview.

 

Norwood News had reported on the number of bike riders killed in various collisions that year across the borough after the 7th Annual Bronx Ghostbike Memorial Ride was held, a bike tour spearheaded by Transportation Alternatives in memory of cyclists killed on the borough’s streets. The memorial was held just two days before new speeding violation rules, announced in May 2022, went into effect. Read the full story here.

 

Rodríguez is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

 

With CIS investigations, NYPD handles all the criminal aspects of the investigation, while NYC Department of Transportation reviews the street design at the locations of such crashes.