CHOP doctor struck, killed by car while riding her bike near Rittenhouse Square

Police have wrapped up their investigation into the car crash that killed a Children's Hospital of Philadelphia doctor last week as she rode her bike in Center City. At a press conference on Thursday, July 25, city officials are expected to announce developments.

Asked on Wednesday if charges are pending in the case, Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said, "We submitted our investigation to the district attorney. It’s under review and, at this point, it is still pending. As soon as we get an update from the District Attorney’s Office, we will move forward."

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — One bicyclist and two pedestrians were hit by cars in just a matter of hours Wednesday night in Philadelphia, leaving two of the victims dead, including a doctor at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Around 7 p.m. near Rittenhouse Square, police said a 30-year-old bicyclist was in the bike lane on Spruce Street, near 18th Street, when she was hit from behind by a speeding driver.

Officials said the driver hit the poles that divide the bike lane from vehicle traffic, then barrelled into several parked cars. The impact sent the woman about 20 feet.

The victim was wearing a helmet, but that wasn’t enough. She suffered severe head trauma and died at the hospital.

Police said a 68-year-old man was driving the Volkswagen that hit her. They were not sure if he was suffering a medical emergency or if he was under the influence.

No arrest has been made.

The victim’s family identified her as Barbara Friedes, a third-year oncology resident at CHOP. They said the Colorado native had been in Philadelphia for a few years, and she was recently named a chief resident.

“Barbara was a beacon of light,” Dr. Jeanine Ronan, attending physician and program director of CHOP’s Pediatrics Residency Program, said in a statement, “and given her many talents, skills, and achievements, was selected to be a Chief Resident at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for this academic year. She was loved by so many and embodied kindness, strength and a deep compassion for all who crossed her path.”

“Tragic is the best word and really the only word I can use to describe this,” said Chris Gale, executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. “I had a hard time sleeping last night.”

Gale said he’s on this bike path all the time, and this is yet another example of how dangerous it is to cycle in the city without proper infrastructure.

Jesse Amadio, who's on the board of Philly Bike Action, called for the installation of concrete barriers between bike lanes and traffic as another safety feature. It's something being called for by many bike advocacy organizations in the city.

“The Spruce-Pine bike corridor is one of the most popular and most used in the city,” she said of the street where Friedes was killed. “It was like a almost predictable, something that it advocates had been warning about for a long time. So while it was horrible to hear about, it's also that that pain of knowing that you've been asking for safer infrastructure and then seeing the outcomes when that hasn't been acted on.”

In a statement, Mayor Cherelle Parker said she has supported the installation of speed cameras and participation in Vision Zero, a movement to stop traffic deaths.

"I take traffic safety very seriously -- and very personally -- as does my entire Parker administration. We’ll continue that work every day," read part of the statement.

Around the same time Friedes was killed, another fatal crash took place in Kensington, where police said a driver hit a man who was standing at the corner of Frankford and East Allegheny avenues. The victim died. The driver stayed at the scene, officials said.

Before those deadly crashes, there was another incident in East Germantown. Around 4:30 p.m., investigators said the driver of a Cadillac hit a 26-year-old woman who was crossing the street. The victim is in critical condition.

Police said the driver sped off, but they found her shortly thereafter and arrested her.