Man riding illegal dirt bike dies weeks after Harlem crosswalk crash into pedestrian
A man who got into a crash with a pedestrian while riding his illegal dirt bike in Harlem last month has died of his injuries, cops said Tuesday.
Jermaine Capers, 37, was zipping down Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. when he blew through a changing red light and struck an 18-year-old woman in the crosswalk at W. 116th St. at 4:44 p.m. July 17, cops said.
Capers was thrown from his dirt bike and landed in a heap in the street.
Medics rushed him to Mount Sinai Morningside with a severe head injury. He clung to life for three weeks before dying there Monday.
The teen he struck was taken to the same hospital with minor injuries. She had made it halfway into the intersection, also against the changing light, when Capers rammed into her.
Capers was about a dozen blocks from his East Harlem home when he crashed, according to cops.
His death comes as cops continue to crack down on dirt bikes, which can’t be legally registered or insured in New York City.
Last week, the NYPD announced cops seized 240 illegal dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles on July 31 in response to people fed up with the stunts and ear-splitting noise that often comes with them.
“We’re going to continue to remove bikes off the street and we’re going to continue to improve the quality of life of New Yorkers,” NYPD Chief of Patrol Jeffrey Maddrey said during a Aug. 2 press conference.
