A 71-year-old man fell off his bike and died Monday morning after he ran into an off-leash dog in Central Park.
Police said the cyclist was riding through the park just after 8 a.m. near East 84th Street — not far from The Met — when a dog ran out into the roadway. The two collided and the impact threw the man off his bike and onto the pavement, where he smacked his head.
Medics transported the cyclist to Cornell Hospital but he did not survive.
Investigators said the dog’s owner stuck around and cooperated with police. The dog did not appear to suffer any serious injuries.
Dog owners are allowed to let their pets off leash in the park every morning until 9 a.m.
The Central Park Conservancy released a statement following the deadly collision, imploring people to follow the park’s rules.
“Central Park was created more than 150 years ago to provide a peaceful, joyful respite for all from the intense pace and pressures of the surrounding city. The Park cannot continue to serve that purpose unless all New Yorkers hold to the essential agreement of public space: know and follow the rules, and respect your fellow visitors.
“The tragedy this morning and other recent incidents show what can happen when that agreement is broken,” the statement read.
