Richard “Richie” O’Brien was walking to his steamfitter job when a cyclist struck him on a Central Park roadway.
NEW YORK — A 41-year-old father of two died four days after a bicyclist struck him during his morning walk to work through Central Park, according to police, his family and local reports.
Richard “Richie” O’Brien was walking in the park at about 6:30 a.m. Sept. 23 when a 32-year-old cyclist traveling north struck him near East Drive and East 84th Street, according to police accounts reported by CBS New York and Gothamist. The impact knocked O’Brien to the ground and also threw the cyclist from his bicycle. O’Brien was taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center with a serious head injury and died Sept. 27.
O’Brien was on his way to work as a steamfitter at the Metropolitan Museum of Art when the collision occurred, a friend and co-worker told CBS New York. He was a member of Steamfitters Local 638 and was remembered by relatives and colleagues as a devoted worker whose wife and two daughters depended on him.
The cyclist suffered minor injuries and remained at the scene, according to reports citing police. Authorities have not publicly identified him. No arrest or criminal charge had been announced as investigators continued reviewing the collision.
The New York Police Department’s Collision Investigation Squad is investigating what led to the crash. Public accounts of the incident have contained some conflicting location details, with several reports placing the collision on East Drive near East 84th Street while other coverage initially described a different side of the park. More recent reports citing police placed the crash on East Drive.
O’Brien’s death has renewed attention on interactions among cyclists, pedestrians and other users of Central Park’s shared roadways. CBS New York reported that park users interviewed after the crash raised concerns about speed and compliance with traffic rules. Police have not publicly determined responsibility for the collision.
Friends and relatives established an online fundraiser to help O’Brien’s family after he was critically injured. The campaign described him as the primary provider for his household and emphasized his commitment to his wife and two daughters. Following his death, the family said O’Brien also became an organ donor.
The collision adds to a history of serious crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians in Central Park. Such incidents can result in severe injuries even when no motor vehicle is involved, but the circumstances and responsibility in each crash differ and are determined through individual investigations.
Police continued investigating O’Brien’s death as of Sept. 29. No charges had been announced, and authorities had not released a final determination describing the circumstances that led to the collision.
Author note: Last updated September 29, 2026.