{"id":351774,"date":"2026-09-20T17:40:58","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T17:40:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/351774\/"},"modified":"2026-09-20T17:40:58","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T17:40:58","slug":"friends-and-family-mourn-sassy-spicy-nyc-teen-who-died-on-citi-bike-in-crash-with-truck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/351774\/","title":{"rendered":"Friends and family mourn ‘sassy, spicy’ NYC teen who died on Citi Bike in crash with truck"},"content":{"rendered":"

The twin sister and family of teen Citi Bike crash victim Daria Serkov<\/a> were dining with friends, eating Mexican food and playing games, when a phone call shattered their joyful night, a family friend told the Daily News.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a parent\u2019s worst nightmare,\u201d said Christine Janssen, a friend of 15-year-old Daria\u2019s mother, at a candlelight vigil for the victim Saturday night. \u201cNo parent ever wants to or deserves to go through that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DariaDaria Serkov. (GoFundMe)<\/p>\n

Daria was riding on the back of an electric Citi Bike in the East Village, as a 16-year-old friend pedaled and steered, inching alongside a 2021 Peterbilt truck as it stopped on E. 14th St. about 9 p.m. Friday,<\/a>video obtained by the Daily News shows.<\/p>\n

The truck had its turn signal on and made a right turn onto First Ave. just as the girls were also turning right.<\/p>\n

The bike didn\u2019t make as sharp a turn as the driver and the truck hit their bike. The crash killed Daria and left her friend injured.<\/p>\n

\"VideoVideo footage obtained by the Daily News shows the two girls riding on a Citi Bike moments before being struck by the truck pictured behind them. (Obtained by Daily News)<\/p>\n

\u201cAll our families were all together, just having Mexican night and tacos and tequila and playing games,\u201d Janssen said. \u201cEverybody was there, except for Daria. And then we got the call later that night. \u2029It was just surreal.\u201d<\/p>\n

After getting the news, Janssen raced to Bellevue Hospital with Daria\u2019s mom, Irina Serkov, and the victim\u2019s twin sister, Greta.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were there till about 3:30 (Saturday) morning,\u201d she said. \u201cGoing through that whole process last night was like a front row seat to just an awful experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later Saturday, Janssen joined about 100 people, most of them teens, for a tearful candellight tribute to Daria at the site of the crash.<\/p>\n

\"FriendsFriends gather to mourn victim Daria Serkov at the site of the crash on E. 14th St. and First Ave. in Manhattan on Saturday. (Julian Roberts-Grmela \/ New York Daily News)<\/p>\n

Daria \u201cmarched to her own beat,\u201d Janssen recounted. \u201cShe\u2019s sassy, spicy, just really spice of life\u2026.\u00a0 Very spicy go-getter. Just like, get out of my way, on a mission.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daria attended New York City Museum School and played soccer for the Lady Gators.<\/p>\n

\u201cDaria, I don\u2019t even know how to put into words how much you meant to me. Calling you my best friend never felt like enough, because you were so much more than that,\u201d wrote one of her teammates on Instagram.<\/a> \u201cYou were family. You were someone I could laugh with, cry with, talk to about anything, and simply be myself around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DariaDaria Serkov. (GoFundMe)<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never imagined having to live in a world where you weren\u2019t here,\u201d the friend added. \u201cThere are so many things I wish I could tell you! I would give anything to hug you once more. I love you and already miss you so much\u2026 you will never ever be forgotten \u2026 life will never be the same without.\u201d<\/p>\n

Janssen organized the vigil at the behest of her own daughter.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u201cMy daughter came out here this morning and there was nothing here, not a single flower. And she kind of flipped out at that,\u2019 Janssen said. \u201cI just wanted people to get together. It\u2019s the very least we can do\u2026. It\u2019s just important for this community to know that she was one of our own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AA makeshift memorial of flowers is seen at the site of the Citi Bike crash that killed Daria Serkov in Manhattan. (Julian Roberts-Grmela \/ New York Daily News)<\/p>\n

Janssen also created a GoFundMe<\/a> to support the victim\u2019s family.<\/p>\n

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who left a bouquet of flowers at the memorial, said the other girl on the Citi Bike is \u201cbattling to stay alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an unspeakable tragedy, a young girl, my daughter\u2019s age, lost her life here,\u201d Hoylman-Sigal said. \u201cIt\u2019s really hard to imagine what her friends and her family members are going through.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bicycling advocates from Transportation Alternatives said cyclists rolling past that corner are in danger of being struck by turning vehicles as they cross the avenue to get to the dedicated bike lane.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, Hoylman-Sigal echoed their calls for more bike safety.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to work to improve safety on all of our streets,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are steps that we can take, certainly, to ensure that there are more protected bike lanes for cyclists, for young people who are just trying to have a good time with their friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

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