Woman Dies Following Crash with Bicyclist at Bayfair Mall
Judy Eisenberg’s family is looking for answers following her death last Monday following a collision with a cyclist at Bayfair Mall earlier this month. She was 77.
Eisenberg was a longtime resident of San Lorenzo before moving to the East Coast five years ago to be closer to her children. She happened to be visiting family in the East Bay during the holidays and was shopping at Bayfair on January 3.
San Leandro Police officials say Eisenberg was walking to the parking lot outside Kohl’s department store when a group of young people riding bicycles and “popping wheelies” quickly approached her from her right side. Investigators say surveillance footage from the store shows Eisenberg stopped near the curb to let the first rider pass. Another rider swerved to avoid Eisenberg but crashed into her, sending her to the ground.
Lieutenant Abe Teng told the Times, an officer arrived and spoke with the three cyclists involved, including an 11-year-old cyclist who collided with Eisenberg. He added that the officer who spoke with Eisenberg said she appeared to be dazed from the collision and fall.
“Judy borrowed my car that day, and I got a phone call from the police department telling me that my sister was walking around confused and wondered if she was like this,” Eisenberg’s sister Cathy Tapia told the Times. “They asked me to come over and get my car that they were taking her by ambulance to Eden Hospital.”
Eisenberg was transported and remained hospitalized at Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley until she passed away from her injuries on January 22.
San Leandro Police say the boy was not cited for malice or reckless negligence leading up to the collision and will likely not face criminal charges.
“By all indications thus far, this incident was a tragic accident,” Lt. Teng said.
Eisenberg’s sisters, Tapia and Mary Lou Eggiman say they are frustrated with the investigation. They say the officer commented that Eisenberg was “tapped,” while hospital officials categorized the injury as a “blunt force assault trauma.” The sisters were also frustrated because they had asked for a police report and let the officer know that Kohl’s had surveillance video. Tapia said the Kohl’s manager noted the police waited 3 to 4 days to pick up the video and that Eisenberg’s son is the only family member who has been able to view the surveillance video because he has power of attorney.
And with the increase in the number of large groups of bicycle riders blocking traffic and riding recklessly, Eisenberg’s sisters say they’re also concerned about the message Judy’s death sends to other young bicycle riders.
“These kids need to know that saying there's nothing you can do lets every 11-year-old think they can go ride bikes out there and they can do whatever they want because there's nothing the police can do to me,” Tapia said. “We don’t know if this boy and his friends know how seriously he injured Judy. We want to ask the community to tell these boys and their families of the tragic outcome of this accident. If you know of this group of bike riders or their parents, please spread the news of my sister’s fate.”