On February 17th, Woodsen Jones was riding his bicycle to pick up breakfast for his wife when he was struck by an oncoming driver near the intersection of 13th and Lehigh Ave. The driver fled the scene and Jones was taken to the hospital where he later passed away. Mr. Jones is the 4th person who was killed while riding a bicycle and the 9th to be killed by a hit and run driver in Philadelphia this year.
So far, more people have been killed while riding a bike in the first 2 months of this year than all of 2022. We’ve been tracking traffic fatality data since 1997, and 2021 had the highest rate of death for people riding bicycles with 8 deaths.
“Woodsen, although he had his license and a car, he preferred to ride his pedal bike. So when you saw him you saw his bike. He would always make you laugh even when you didn’t want to,” his family wrote in his Obituary.
Our hearts are with Wooden’s family during this difficult time. If anyone you know has been involved in a crash or lost someone in a crash and is looking for a community please reach out to Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia by emailing nicole@bicyclecoalition.org.
Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia (FSSGP) is comprised of victims of traffic violence and families whose loved ones have been killed or severely injured by aggressive, reckless, or careless driving, behavior enabled by a dangerous street design. We represent the full range of greater Philadelphia’s rich diversity and collectively demand an end to traffic violence.
Note: This post has been updated. The original article stated that Mr. Jones was the 5th bicyclist killed in 2023.