By Amy Batista, Special Writer
CRANBURY — A 63-year-old bicyclist broke his leg after colliding with a vehicle on Park Place Aug. 22, police said.
Eugene Sileo of Cranbury sustained a compound fracture of his right leg after being thrown from his bicycle following the collision, Chief of Police Rickey Varga said.
”He was riding his bike down Park Place towards Main Street,” Chief Varga said. “He was actually traveling on the wrong side of the roadway.”
The driver of the vehicle, Donnet Smith, 47, of East Windsor, was traveling northbound on North Main Street and was making the right turn onto Park Place at 3:06 p.m. when “he (Mr. Sileo) ran right into her.”
The impact of the collision sent the bicyclist up and over Ms. Smith’s car causing his injury, Chief Varga said.
Mr. Sileo was transported by the Cranbury First Aid Squad to the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro for his injury.
Chief Varga said Mr. Sileo, who was riding his bike without a helmet, “(was) not looking straight ahead and was not paying attention,” when the accident took place.
”It’s the bicyclist’s fault,” Chief Varga said.
No summonses were issued, according to Chief Varga.
”Given the circumstances, it appears that the bicyclist is at fault and accidents such as these are avoidable,” Chief Varga said. “The bicyclist should have been following the rules of the roadway.”
State law requires bicyclists to travel in the same direction as traffic.
Chief Varga again urged residents to use caution on the streets.
In July, an East Brunswick woman was charged with careless driving and failure to stop for a pedestrian in the crosswalk after allegedly striking a 13-year-old girl on North Main Street.
The driver of the vehicle, Seema Basi, 38, of East Brunswick, allegedly struck the 13-year-old Cranbury resident while she was crossing North Main Street in the crosswalk at Schoolhouse Lane around 9:07 a.m. July 12, according to police.
”As always, we urge our residents to use caution on our ever increasing congested roadways,” Chief Varga said.
Township committee members are also concerned about pedestrian safety.
”Our police are very concerned about safety as Cranbury is a walking and biking community,” Township Committeeman Jay Taylor said. “Whenever an accident occurs we consider it a critical event and look to see if there is anything we can do to prevent future incidents from occurring. We have implemented slow down in our town campaigns and sought grants to fund seat belt, speed and DUI patrols and have a zero tolerance policy on speeding.”

