Community outraged after another hit-and-run in WNY

BUFFALO N.Y. (WIVB) – Buffalo police are searching for the driver who hit and killed a bicyclist on the city’s east side over the weekend before leaving the scene.

According to Buffalo police, 24-year-old Trevor Friedly from Cheektowaga was traveling south on Fillmore avenue, near Howard street when he was struck by a vehicle and left for dead. This happened around 2:15 a.m. on Saturday. People at the scene told police they saw either a dark SUV, or a black jeep Cherokee leaving the incident.

“I cannot believe this has happened again,” said Kevin Heffernan, communications director of GObike.

Advocates for bicycle safety in Western New York are enraged at another hit and run incident.

“I think it’s awful for someone to hit somebody in a violent way and leave them there to die,” said Harvey Miles, smart cycling safety instructor at East Side Bike Club.

“It’s very upsetting with me as a rider and several people in our group,” said East Side Bike Club president George Johnson. “We take it very seriously in terms of riding bikes in our community especially on the east side.”

Local organizations like GObike and East Side Bike Club say there’ve been a number of hit and runs this summer.

“To our knowledge this is the 8th time someone out walking or biking or has been hit by another Western New Yorkers who decided they’re better off leaving that person on the road injured or dead then seeing if they were ok,” said Heffernan. “That’s outrageous.”

They say they want law enforcement to crack down on reckless drivers.

“We need police forces to warn against it. We need police to enforce drunk and reckless driving,” Heffernan said. “Hold these drivers accountable. When a driver leaves the scene you can pretty much rest assured that they were at fault.”

“Bicycles are vehicles also, we are privy to the road just like a car,” Miles said. “We have to respect each other by riding with the flow of traffic, using hand signals and again being predictable to the drivers.”

Sarah Minkewicz is an Emmy-nominated reporter and Buffalo native who has been a part of the News 4 team since 2019. Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahMinkewicz and click here to see more of her work.