One cyclist killed near 5115 N DAMEN AVE in Lincoln Square
A cyclist was killed after a Monday evening hit-and-run collision in Lincoln Square on October 23, 2023 at 7:54 PM.
The crash occurred near 5115 N DAMEN AVE, on an undivided road. The posted speed limit was 30 mph. It was dark but with streetlights, the weather was clear, and the roadway was dry. The police report attributed the cause of the crash to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (an arrest was made).
A 2015 Volvo S60 was heading north. The police report described the driver, a 30-year-old woman, as being under the influence of alcohol. Her airbag did not deploy; she was uninjured.
A 59-year-old man (cyclist) was in a bike lane, not wearing a helmet, using a light source, and he was totally ejected; he was killed.
There was one other vehicle involved but not being driven: A 2021 Acura TLX, hit in the side-left-rear.
Police were notified at 7:54 PM. This was the 1,193rd injurious crash reported in October 2023, and the 13,514th injurious crash reported in 2023. It was the 115th fatal crash for 2023.
Curated articles about this crash
- Chicago woman pleads guilty in killing NEIU faculty member in DUI crash, records show
Kali Rynearson pleaded guilty in a hit-and-run crash that killed a Northeastern Illinois University faculty member.
- Woman Charged With Aggravated DUI After Killing Bicyclist In Lincoln Square
Kali Rynearson, 30, was charged with one felony count of aggravated driving under the influence in the late October crash that resulted in the death of 59-year-old artist Don Heggemann, police said.
- Remembering Donald Heggemann | NEIU
Don studied Ceramics at Northeastern and began working for the University as a Student Aide in the Accessibility Center (now known as Student Disability Services) in 2011. In September 2022 he was hired as extra help in the Department of Art + Design before becoming their full-time office administrator. His passing is a great loss for Northeastern and those who knew and worked with him.
- Cyclist’s death in Lincoln Square bike lane crash is being investigated as DUI: ‘He was a joy to know’
The stretch of Damen where Donald Heggemann was killed is plagued by crashes and close calls, said Christina Whitehouse, founder of the group Bike Lane Uprising.
Where it happened
5115 N DAMEN AVE
- Neighborhood
- Lincoln Square
- Ward
- 40th Ward
- Nearest streets
- N DAMEN AVE
Street view: 41.9752° N, 87.6792° W
2 people and 2 vehicles
Reported Conditions
- Crash type
- CYCLIST
- Primary cause
- UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL/DRUGS (USE WHEN ARREST IS EFFECTED)
- Weather
- CLEAR
- Lighting
- DARKNESS, LIGHTED ROAD
- Road surface
- DRY
- Road defect
- NO DEFECTS
- Trafficway
- NOT DIVIDED
- Traffic control
- NO CONTROLS
- Speed limit
- 30 MPH
Raw data
View the crash's underlying records: exactly as published by the city, or as transformed for crashstop.org