A Philadelphia pediatric cancer doctor has been killed after she was flung roughly 30 feet in the air when a speeding driver knocked her off her bike, police said.
Barbara Ann Friedes, 30, had been cycling in a designated bike lane near Rittenhouse Square when a 68-year-old male driver allegedly plowed into her with his Volkswagen at about 7 p.m. on Wednesday, 6ABC reported.
Friedes — a chief resident at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia — was rushed to a nearby hospital with a severe head trauma but was pronounced dead a short time later.
The young doctor, who was wearing a helmet at the time, was thrown 20 to 30 feet before she hit the ground, cops said.
After striking Friedes, the driver allegedly continued driving down the street before crashing into two parked cars.
Friedes, who was originally from Colorado, had only recently been promoted to her position.
“Barbara was a beacon of light, 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,” Dr. Jeanine Ronan, an attending physician at CHOP, said in a statement.
“She was loved by so many and embodied kindness, strength and a deep compassion for all who crossed her path,” Ronan continued, adding that the “CHOP community is in mourning following her tragic loss and keeping her family, friends and loved ones in our hearts.”
Meanwhile, no charges have yet been filed over the deadly crash.
The driver, who cops haven’t named publicly, was treated in the hospital for minor injuries in the wake of the collision.
It wasn’t immediately clear if he was impaired at the time.
Police said they are still investigating the cause.