E-Bike Tragedy: 15 y.o. Girl Hit by Truck Killed, Memorial Grows
Friends and family are mourning the passing of a 15-year-old girl who was riding a Citibike with another teen girl when it was struck by a truck making a turn onto First Ave. on Sept. 18.
| 20 Sep 2026 | 04:42
A man named Tom was among a group of friends dining with the mother of Daria Serkov when she got a call from Bellevue Hospital that her daughter had been struck by a truck Sept. 18 around 9 p.m. (
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A family friend has started a GoFundMe page for the family of Daria Serkov, who was stuck and killed by a truck while riding a Citibike in the East Village on Sept. 18. (
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A steady rain did not stop a growing memorial in the East Village intersection on Sunday where a teenage girl was killed Sept. 18 when an e-bike she and a friend were riding together was struck by a truck making a right hand turn onto First Ave. from East 14th Street. (
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He stood in the rain on Sunday with his girlfriend and arranged flowers at the growing memorial on the corner of East 14th Street and First Avenue, where a 15-year-old e-bike rider was killed. A second teen girl who cops said was riding on the same Citi Bike as her friend, suffered a non-life threatening injury.
The deceased teen was identified as Daria Serkov, who lived a short distance away on East 20th Street in Peter Cooper Village with her twin sister Greta and her parents Irina and Alex Serkov.
Both of the victims were rushed by EMS to Bellevue Hospital but Serkov could not be saved. Her friend, who was not identified, was said by cops to be in stable condition.
The teens were struck by a truck that was attempting to turn right onto First Avenue from East 14th Street around 9 p.m. on Sept. 18.
”I was having dinner with her mom Friday night when she got the call from Bellevue,” said the flower arranger who choked back tears on Sunday afternoon. He gave his name as Tom as he and his girlfriend Chris worked the flowers as rain fell on the street memorial that had sprung up a day earlier.
He patiently unwrapped paper around the floral bouquets and placed them in makeshift vases. A young woman stopped by and asked what had happened and stood in stunned disbelief as she digested the news. “That’s terrible,” she said.
Tom spotted a Taco Bell wrapping amid the wet bouquets. “Someone left Taco Bell that was her favorite,” he said.
”She was lively, a very amazing athlete,” said Tom. “A beautiful person inside and out. A great spirit that one.”
kaiya.ilene a heartbroken friend posted a tribute on Instagram. “Daria, I don’t even know how to put into words how much you meant to me. Calling you my best friend never felt like enough, because you were so much more than that. You were family. You were someone I could laugh with, cry with, talk to about anything, and simply be myself around.
She continued, “I’ve never imagined having to live in a world where you weren’t here, there are so many things I wish I could tell you! I would give anything to hug you once more. I love you and already miss you so much❤️ you will never ever be forgotten ♾️♾️life will never be the same without ❤️
Christine Janssen, a family friend started a GoFundMe on behalf of the Serkov family that had raised nearly $90,000 from over 600 donors in the first 24 hours since the site went live.
”While no amount of money changes the outcome of this awful event, it takes a village of friends, family and neighbors to lift them up any way we can,” Janssen wrote.
“We cannot put our sorrow of Daria’s passing into words,” wrote one supporter, Brandy Melville, who contributed $10,000 to the fund. “Our prayers and love go out to her family and friends during this painful and challenging time. We are deeply saddened and send our most sincere condolences.”
The 57-year-old driver was a commercial truck driver and stayed on the scene. As of Sunday, no arrests had been made.
The Citi Bike was crushed under the wheels of the truck. Citi Bike Police believe both victims were on the same bike and neither was wearing a helmet when they were struck by the truck.
There is no bike lane on 14th Street. First Avenue has a protected bike lane on the west side of the street which is on the opposite side from the accident scene.