Cyclist killed in hit-and-run continues deadly trend on Indianapolis streets

A woman riding a bicycle was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on the north side Saturday night, the latest casualty in an especially deadly year on Indianapolis streets.

The woman was identified as Emily Johnson, 67, by the Marion County Coroner's Office Monday morning.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said Johnson was struck shortly before 11 p.m. on Keystone Avenue at 32nd Street.

Johnson was riding north on Keystone when she was hit by a car heading south, according to a news release from IMPD. The driver continued south on Keystone without stopping, police said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said they had no description of the vehicle.

Fatal accidents of pedestrians and cyclists in the first seven months of this year have nearly equaled the total from all of last year year, the IndyStar reported last week.

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Through July, 25 pedestrians and one cyclist were killed by vehicles in Indianapolis, compared to 24 fatal crashes involving pedestrians and four of cyclists in 2021. At least 10 people were fatally struck while walking in July alone, according to an IndyStar analysis of public police reports. A fifth of the pedestrian crashes were hit-and-run.

Police attribute part of the increase to an uptick in speeding and reckless driving since the coronavirus pandemic started in early 2020. About 60% of severe crashes occur on arterial roads, such as Washington Street, 38th Street and Keystone, which comprise 15% of the region's road mileage.

Contact IndyStar reporter John Tuohy at 317 444-6418 and john.tuohy@indystar.com. Follow on Twitter @john_tuohy