The 15-year-old girl killed Friday after being struck by a garbage truck while riding a Citi Bike in New York City has been identified as Daria Serkov.
Serkov was cycling with a 16-year-old girl near 14th Street and First Avenue in Manhattan’s East Village when the truck hit them as it turned right.
The teenager became trapped beneath the heavy-duty industrial vehicle. Witnesses recalled a horrific scene and said the unidentified driver initially appeared unaware that he had run over the girl.
Serkov was taken to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. The other teenager remained in stable condition, according to CBS News.
Hundreds of mourners later gathered at the crash site for a vigil honoring the teenager and paying tribute to her life.
Christine Janssen, a friend of Serkov’s family, told CBS that she was with the girl’s parents when they received the devastating news.
“We were all together having dinner last night and playing games, and everybody was there except for Daria, and then we got the call later that night,” Janssen said.
“It was just surreal.”
Daria Serkov, 15, has been identified as the victim who died after a garbage truck struck her while she was riding a Citi Bike in New York City on Friday
Serkov was riding a Citi Bike with her 16-year-old friend when the collision left her trapped beneath the massive truck
The twisted remains of a blue Citi Bike were photographed crushed beneath one of the truck’s enormous wheels
Janssen described Serkov as “a spicy go-getter” who was always on a mission, as well as a “beautiful, beautiful girl.”
A GoFundMe campaign organized after the tragedy raised more than $85,000 to support Serkov’s family.
“The purpose of this fundraiser is to gather money for the funeral as well as any related expenses and support,” wrote Janssen, who organized the appeal.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: List of Premier League Teams That Violated Profit and Sustainability Regulations – NewsFinale
“While no amount of money changes the outcome of this awful event, it takes a village of friends, family and neighbors to lift them up any way we can.”
An eerie photograph from 2025 also surfaced, appearing to show Serkov falling from a Citi Bike into a bush beside a busy city street.
Months later, disturbing images from the deadly crash showed a massive emergency response at the scene, with at least six ambulances reportedly sent to the intersection.
“I heard a loud sound, like a scream,” a 22-year-old witness told the Daily News.
“The truck had run over them. It looked like two women. One of the women on the bike was crushed under the truck. They were giving her CPR and pumping her chest. The other one on the other side was lifted into an ambulance,” the witness added.
A family friend told CBS News that Serkov was “a spicy go-getter” on a mission and a “beautiful, beautiful girl”
A photo from 2025 surfaced showing the young girl appearing to have fallen off a Citi Bike into a bush on the side of a busy city street
‘It didn’t look good. It was crazy. There were cops everywhere.’
Footage showed police and firefighters swarming the area and quickly throwing up crime tape around the privately owned truck, which sat motionless in the middle of the road.
The mangled remains of a blue Citi Bike could be seen crushed beneath one of the truck’s massive wheels, while a lone Puma sneaker lay abandoned on the street nearby.
The NYPD said the truck driver, who remained at the scene, was being questioned as they launched an investigation into the deadly crash, according to NBC.
Multiple city cameras at the intersection are believed to have captured the crash and could provide crucial evidence for investigators, including which vehicle had the right of way, police said.