Great Lakes - Cleveland Hit and Run

CLEVELAND -- A 22-year-old woman has died after she was hit by a truck trying to cross a downtown Cleveland street on her bicycle.



Police say the woman was crossing the street at around 9 a.m. when she was hit by a truck making a right hand turn from Prospect Avenue onto East 21st Street.

The woman died a short time later at St. Vincent Charity Hospital.

She has been identified as 22 year old Sylvia Bingham of San Rafael, California.

According to police, the driver of the truck did not stop. He was located a short time later based on information given to officers by witnesses.

The driver is being questioned by police.

The truck driver did not stop, but police found him a short time later on East 40th Street, thanks to information provided by witnesses. Police questioned the driver to determine if he was aware that he had hit the woman and to find out how the accident happened.

No charges had been filed Tuesday afternoon.

Bingham came to Cleveland after studying French and sociology at Yale. The 2009 graduate was passionate about people and the environment. Her father, Stephen Bingham, said his daughter planned to make America a greener place by working to repair the environment.

She worked at Hard Hatted Women through the AmeriCorps Vista program.

"She rode her bike to work from Ohio City to promote being green and encouraged others to do the same," said Terri Burgess Sandu, executive director of Hard Hatted Women in Cleveland. "I only knew her for a short time, but she was everything -- the shining example of what is best in American adults."

Her friends and co-workers talked about the young woman's energy and self-sacrifice, which she expressed most of her life.

"I am passionate about eliminating urban poverty, particularly by creating job opportunities in the skilled trades," Bingham described herself, on her LinkedIn Web page. "Eventually I'd like to see urban, sustainable agriculture generate high-wage, high-skilled green jobs in our cities. It's exciting to see the proliferation of farms in Cleveland's abandoned lots.

I believe there is a ride in her memory this Tuesday morning but unfortunately I left the details of the ride at work...

details: http://4000more.org/2009/09/19/sylvia-bingham-memorial-ride-i-ride-for-everyone-who-cant/

Deeply sorry to her friends and family..I also was hit on the 24th of August at Cleveland heights area. Fortunately, just tear my MCL and head contusion ( Helmet broken ).

That's so sad and absolutely tragic.