Bicyclist

A bicyclist died Sunday evening after he was hit by an SUV on the Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor Township. Police have identified the 19-year-old victim as Patrick Dutton of nearby Mays Landing, also in Atlantic County. Shortly after 6:30 p.m., the bicycle was struck by an eastbound 2005 Ford Explorer driven by Steven Rando, 40, of Egg Harbor Township, according to police. The bicycle was apparently in the roadway, instead of on the paved shoulder, judging from evidence at the scene, according to police spokesman Lt. Robert Gray.

A BRITISH TOURIST who died in search of the perfect body, a pregnant woman and her unborn child who were beaten to death outside traffic court and a KYW traffic reporter slain by a butcher-knife-wielding bicyclist were among the city's more notorious deaths this year. Here's a look back: * Feb. 7: Tovoyia Owens, 21, was killed along with her unborn child when she was beaten to death outside of Philadelphia Traffic Court in broad daylight. Walter Williams, 26, is awaiting trial on third-degree murder charges for the beating, which was allegedly spurred on by an ongoing dispute he had with Owens' boyfriend.

A 47-year-old bicyclist was hit by a trolley Wednesday afternoon in Southwest Philadelphia, authorities said. The accident involving the Route 36 trolley and the cyclist occurred about 4 p.m. at Island Avenue and Lindbergh Boulevard, in the Eastwick section, according to SEPTA spokeswoman Kristin Geiger. The cyclist was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Information about his condition was unavailable Wednesday night. - Anthony Campisi

Advocates for bicyclists and pedestrians have launched a last-minute effort to restore funding for a proposed ramp to the Ben Franklin Bridge walkway. Plans for a $3.2 million ramp on the Camden side of the bridge were not included in the 2012 capital budget approved Wednesday by the Delaware River Port Authority finance committee. The full DRPA board will vote on the budget Wednesday. The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia on Friday asked the DRPA board to restore the money and launched an online petition drive to gather signatures of supporters of the ramp.

Philadelphia police have charged an Ivyland man with killing a bicyclist while driving under the influence. Brett Truskin, 22, was driving a 2011 Toyota RAV4 in the 1900 block of East Lehigh Avenue Friday evening when he struck the victim, police said. Truskin was traveling east and the bicyclist was riding west in the bike lane, police said. The car hit the bike head-on and then continued on to strike several cars - four of them parked and one occupied by a 52-year-old motorist, authorities said.

KUDOS TO Stu Bykofsky for his column "Bad-Biking Tix Finally Rolling on the Streets," (Nov. 15). I'm glad to see bad bikers getting more tickets. As a kid I practically lived on my bike, and I occasionally rent one nowadays. So I have nothing against them. But, the minority of bikers who ride on the sidewalk, through red lights and the wrong way on one-way streets are endangering pedestrians and themselves. Please follow the law! Ray Cooney Philadelphia Time to remove Occupy Philly After reading about New York's successful eviction of Occupy Wall Streeters at their site, I believe it may be time to consider a similar move here in Philadelphia.

A 68-year-old bicyclist was critically injured this morning when he was hit by a car on Cherry Hill, Cherry Hill, police said. Luis Soto, of 100 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill, suffered significant head injuries in the collision with a car about 7:45 a.m. on South Kings Highway, police said. He was listed in critical-unstable condition at Cooper University Hospital's Trauma Center. Police said an initial investigation indicated that Soto was entering Kings Highway from Munn Lane when he was struck by a northbound 2010 Toyota Corolla driven by Jack Slotterback, of Mount Ephraim.

STU BYKOFSKY made the point that bicyclists break the law. True. But so does everyone else. Cops run lights as a show of power; bus drivers run them to keep their schedule. Cabbies do it for the fare, and everyone does it because, well, they're sitting behind a powerful engine and want to get where they want to go, safety be damned. And everyone speeds. (Tell me the last time someone drove 30 mph on Delaware Avenue.) Each form of transit has its informal rules of the road - and they all involve bending the law for one reason or another.

Along busy but scenic Route 413 in central Bucks County, a white "ghost" bike marks the spot where New York City bicyclist John Chapman, out for a leisurely ride with his bike club, was killed by a hit-and-run driver over Memorial Day weekend. With Chapman's killer still unidentified, the accident has continued to resonate with bicyclists from New York to Bucks County who have contributed about $25,000 for a reward fund. It has also focused renewed attention on the risks that cyclists face, even on country roads.

A 30-year-old man is in critical condition after his bicycle was hit by a car on Martin Luther King Drive in Fairmount Park Tuesday evening, police said. The man, whose name was not released, was riding southbound on the sidewalk near the Strawberry Mansion Bridge about 7:40 p.m. when he attempted to cross the street and was hit by a northbound 2010 Toyota Camry, police said. The man slammed into the car's windshield on impact and then was tossed into the air, landing on the roadway, police said.