Police crash kills scooter rider in Bridgeport as neighbors voice safety worries
A 39-year-old man died after his electric scooter collided with a marked police car, sparking debate about driving habits in the neighborhood.
By Marco Whitaker ·
A 39-year-old man died after his stand-up electric scooter struck a marked Chicago police vehicle in Bridgeport.
Chicago police reported that officers were traveling northbound on Princeton Avenue on patrol when the collision occurred. Hao Lin, a resident of the 3200 block of South Wallace Street, was treated at the scene by Chicago Fire Department personnel. He was later pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m. at Stroger Hospital. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified Lin on Monday. Autopsy results remain inconclusive.
Both officers inside the police vehicle were transported to University of Illinois Hospital for treatment. The Major Accidents Investigation Unit is currently investigating the crash. Fault has not yet been assigned to either the officers or the rider.
Sira Rivera, a Bridgeport resident of more than five years, lives less than four blocks from the crash site. He did not witness the accident but said the involvement of a police vehicle was not a surprise. “The cops always run the stop signs in the neighborhood,” Rivera said. “They drive kind of crazy all the time.”
Other residents cited dangerous behavior by electric scooter and bicycle riders. Frank, a lifelong resident living about a block from the scene, noted that riders frequently ignore traffic signals. “A lot of scooter people just run right through the stop signs, the stoplights,” he said. He argued that riders should follow the same rules as motorists to reduce risk.
The crash comes one day after a 67-year-old man riding a stand-up electric scooter was killed in North Park. That rider was struck by a speeding SUV. Frank said riders who fail to stop at intersections put themselves in danger, especially when vehicles approach at higher speeds. “If everyone just sits there and abides by the laws of stopping at the stop signs or stoplights, I think it will go down a whole lot,” he added.
The investigation into the Bridgeport collision remains active. Police have not announced when a final report will be released.
