By Stephen Stirling
State Assemblywoman Ellen Young (D-Flushing) was recovering Thursday after being badly injured when she was hit by a car while riding her bicycle in Flushing earlier this week.
Young was riding her bike near the corner of Booth Memorial Avenue and 138th Street shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday when she was clipped by a taxi cab as it swerved to avoid her. Young was smashed into the windshield of the cab before being thrown up and over the vehicle and into a nearby wall.
She was briefly knocked unconscious and sustained severe cuts and bruises all over her body — including a gash to her head that required three staples to close — and a dislocated toe.
“I thought I was gone,” Young said from a wheelchair in her office Thursday afternoon.
Young will likely be confined to a wheelchair for several days while she recovers, but said she expects to return to work in the coming weeks.
“The windshield of the car was totally smashed and Ellen tried to break a wall with her head,” said City Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing). “It was very scary Tuesday night to see her lying there in the emergency room.”
The incident was ruled an accident and the driver of the taxi was not arrested. Young, an avid bicyclist, was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
She said though she does plan to continue riding her bike in Flushing, she hopes to push for stronger safety measures to protect bikers and pedestrians in busy urban environments.
“Nothing will change my mind. I really love biking but we need to create a safe environment,” Young said.
Reach reporter Stephen Stirling by e-mail at Sstirling@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
