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# Young Artist Killed By Truck While Cycling To Work
- URL: https://bklyner.com/young-artist-killed-truck-cycling-work-fortgreene/
- Published: 2016-06-08T17:22:01.000Z
- Updated: 2016-06-08T19:08:08.000Z
- Author: Justin Fox
- Tags: fort greene, North Western Brooklyn, Police & Fire, 27 years old, bicycling, bike fatalities, Bike New York, bikes, brooklyn navy yard, Bushwick, Great Georgiana, james gregg, joseph cherry, #wp

> Police identify victim of deadly [#Brooklyn](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Brooklyn?src=hash&ref=bklyner.com) bicycle crash as 27 y/o Leah Sylvaine. [@CBSNewYork](https://twitter.com/CBSNewYork?ref=bklyner.com) [pic.twitter.com/e4HpDJGYFz](https://t.co/e4HpDJGYFz?ref=bklyner.com)
> 
> — ilana gold (@ilanagoldTV) [June 7, 2016](https://twitter.com/ilanagoldTV/status/740220891154546688?ref=bklyner.com)

A 27-year-old cyclist who worked as an artist in the[ Brooklyn Navy Yard](/?s=navy+yard) was killed by a truck yesterday morning.

Leah Sylvain was riding northbound in the bike lane on Evergreen Avenue when she was struck by a Peterbilt truck driven by 52-year-old Joseph Cherry as it turned left onto Hart Street on June 7 at about 6:45am, according to the NYPD. She was pronounced dead at Woodhull Hospital, say police.

Cherry was also riding northbound on Evergreen Avenue when he made a left turn on Hart Street and hit Sylvain, according to cops.

> Perhaps the worst victim-blaming I’ve seen in years. Shameful. From [@CBSNewYork](https://twitter.com/CBSNewYork?ref=bklyner.com) h/t [@Naparstek](https://twitter.com/Naparstek?ref=bklyner.com) [@elipongo](https://twitter.com/elipongo?ref=bklyner.com) [https://t.co/w9WaqXwicj](https://t.co/w9WaqXwicj?ref=bklyner.com)
> 
> — Brooklyn Spoke (@BrooklynSpoke) [June 7, 2016](https://twitter.com/BrooklynSpoke/status/740231799679377408?ref=bklyner.com) 

Syvlain worked as a charge scenic painter at [Scenicorp](http://scenicorp.com/?ref=bklyner.com) in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and was on her usual commute to work, according to the [New York Post.](http://nypost.com/2016/06/07/truck-kills-bicyclist-on-her-morning-commute/?ref=bklyner.com)

The Post[ reports:](http://nypost.com/2016/06/07/truck-kills-bicyclist-on-her-morning-commute/?ref=bklyner.com)

> “I couldn’t think straight. My heart just dropped,” said the woman’s roommate, Tina Duran, 45.

> “It’s shocking. She was always a happy girl with a smile on her face.”

> “I used to tell her to be careful because there are lots of crazies out there,” Duran added. “She would say, ‘Yeah, I know, I will be careful.’”

Cherry has been charged with four counts including failure to yield to a bicyclist and and failure to exercise due care, according to police.

![The intersection of Evergreen Avenue and Hart Street (courtesy Google Maps.)](/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Screen-Shot-2016-06-08-at-1.18.48-PM.png)

The intersection of Evergreen Avenue and Hart Street (courtesy [Google Maps.](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hart+St+%26+Evergreen+Ave,+Brooklyn,+NY+11221/@40.6971851,-73.9288241,3a,75y,191.95h,79.76t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sGiWqLYTsczapfycFuJe-sA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DGiWqLYTsczapfycFuJe-sA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb%5Fclient%3Dsearch.TACTILE.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D392%26h%3D106%26yaw%3D172.16177%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c25c0f43ab91d7:0x238e03e088a88cff!8m2!3d40.6971851!4d-73.9288241!6m1!1e1?ref=bklyner.com))

According to [CBS2 New York:](http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/06/07/bicyclist-crashes-into-fuel-truck/?ref=bklyner.com)

> Anthony Cherry said his father was behind the wheel of the truck and stopped immediately when they heard a loud “boom.”

> “We thought we hit a car and it was actually person,” said Cherry, who was in the passenger seat of the truck at the time of the crash. “I was so traumatized. I freaked out.”

Unfortunately, there have been several bike-related fatalities recently.

In April, James Gregg, co-owner of [The Great Georgiana](/?s=great+georgiana) (248 DeKalb Avenue), was struck and [killed](/blog/2016/04/25/bp-adams-leads-bike-tour-honor-fallen-riders/) while riding his bike in Prospect Heights.

![(Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)](/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/IMG_2109.jpg)

The Great Georgiana’s tribute to its fallen co-owner. (Courtesy Fort Greene Focus/Justin Fox)

[Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams ](/?s=eric+adams)led a[ bike tour ](/blog/2016/04/25/bp-adams-leads-bike-tour-honor-fallen-riders/)in April to mourn the loss of Gregg and another fallen bicyclist, Lauren Davis.

Bike lanes have been a hot topic in the neighborhood. Last month, the Department of Transit [withdrew ](/blog/2016/05/20/following-backlash-dot-withdraws-clinton-avenue-bike-lane-proposal/)plans for a bike lane on Clinton Avenue after significant community opposition.