Cyclist killed in crash with SUV on Memorial Drive | News

A Newton man died Monday night when he was struck by an SUV while riding his bike on Memorial Drive. He is the third cyclist to die in a crash in Cambridge since June.

Massachusetts State Police and Cambridge Police responded to the crash outside Boston University's DeWolfe Boathouse at 5:45 p.m. Monday. The bicyclist, identified by police as John Cochran, 62, was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

According to the Massachusetts State Police, the accident “remains under investigation” but no charges have been filed yet.

“The preliminary investigation indicates that a man in his 20s lost control of his vehicle and struck a bicyclist,” State Police Trooper James D. DeAngelis wrote in an email to The Crimson. “The bicyclist sustained serious injuries and was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.”

The collision is the latest in a series of fatal accidents. This summer, a Florida woman riding her bike through Harvard Square was struck and killed by a truck. Just two weeks later, a second cyclist was hit by a truck in Kendall Square.

The cyclist deaths have prompted many Cambridge residents and local politicians to call for stricter regulations on truck traffic and better safety for cyclists and pedestrians in the city.

In an email to members, the Cambridge Bicycle Safety advocacy group said local activists have called on the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation to address safety issues at the intersection where the accident occurred.

“This is the third cyclist killed in Cambridge in recent months and shows how dangerous our roads currently are,” the group wrote.

—Editor Sally E. Edwards can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on X @sallyedwards04 or in threads @sally_edwards06.

—Editor Asher J. Montgomery can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on X @asherjmont or in threads @asher_montgomery.