Teen Cyclist Killed in NYC Hit-and-Run by Garbage Truck

A 15-year-old girl, identified as Daria Serkov, was killed Friday after being struck by a garbage truck while riding a Citi Bike in New York City. The accident occurred at the intersection of 14th Street and First Avenue in Manhattan's East Village as the truck made a right turn.

Serkov was riding with a 16-year-old friend when the collision happened. Witnesses described the scene as horrific, with Serkov becoming pinned beneath the heavy-duty truck. The driver was reportedly unaware he had struck the girl. Emergency services transported Serkov to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The other cyclist is reported to be in stable condition.

A vigil was held at the scene of the crash, with hundreds gathering to pay their respects. Christine Janssen, a friend of Serkov's family, recounted the devastating news received by the parents. "We were all together having dinner last night and playing games, and everybody was there except for Daria, and then we got the call later that night," Janssen said. "It was just surreal."

Janssen described Serkov as "a spicy go-getter" on a mission and "a beautiful, beautiful girl."

A GoFundMe page established to support the victim's family has raised over $85,000. Janssen, who organized the fundraiser, stated its purpose is to cover funeral expenses and related costs. "While no amount of money changes the outcome of this awful event, it takes a village of friends, family and neighbors to lift them up any way we can."

An unsettling photograph from 2025 has surfaced, showing Serkov appearing to have fallen off a Citi Bike into bushes on the side of a busy street. The recent crash scene was marked by a significant emergency response, with at least six ambulances reportedly dispatched to the intersection.

One witness at the scene described hearing "a loud sound, like a scream" before seeing the truck had run over the cyclists. "It looked like two women. One of the women on the bike was crushed under the truck. They were giving her CPR and pumping her chest. The other one on the other side was lifted into an ambulance," the witness told the Daily News. "It didn't look good. It was crazy. There were cops everywhere."

Footage from the scene showed police and firefighters cordoning off the area around the privately owned truck. The mangled wreckage of a blue Citi Bike was visible crushed under one of the truck's wheels, with a Puma sneaker lying nearby on the street.

The NYPD stated that the truck driver, who remained at the scene, was being questioned as part of an ongoing investigation into the fatal collision. Police believe that multiple city cameras at the intersection may have captured the crash, potentially providing crucial evidence regarding which vehicle had the right of way.