Cyclist charged over pedestrian's death in riverside footpath collision

A cyclist from Oxford has been charged in connection with a collision that saw a pensioner suffer serious injuries that she died from in hospital two weeks later.

Thames Valley Police released a statement on Sunday afternoon confirming the update, explaining that Edward Breeson, 55, of Newton Road in the city was charged with careless cycling by postal requisition on 20 May and then with causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving on 12 July.

The force says the charges relate to a collision involving a cyclist and an 81-year-old pedestrian on a footpath that runs beside the River Thames near Iffley Lock. The collision, which proved to be fatal, happened at around 12.40pm on Thursday 20 November last year.

Polly Friedhoff suffered serious injuries and was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford where she died two weeks later on 2 December.

Officers say the pensioner's next of kin have been supported throughout the investigation by specially trained officers and the man charged is due to appear at Oxford Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 25 July.

Police had launched an appeal for witnesses following the incident eight months ago. Pictures published by one of the city's regional newspapers, the Oxford Mail, showed large yellow 'Police Witness Appeal Crash' signs placed along the footpath asking path users to report anything they saw.

Then, yesterday, the Thames Valley Police Oxford social media pages announced the news of the charge, saying: "Following our investigation, a man has been charged in connection with a fatal collision in Oxford.

"The charges relate to a collision involving a cyclist and a pedestrian on the footpath near Iffley Lock at around 12.40pm on 20 November last year."

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