ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — NEWS10 received a video showing the alleged dirt bike that struck a UAlbany College student who is now in laying in the hospital with numerous fractures, swelling on the brain and in a coma. The video shows the dirt bike going the wrong way on Ontario Street before making a wrong way turn onto Hudson Avenue just a couple of minutes before the crash. Please note the video does have a one-hour delay in the time stamp.
“What’s it going to take, someone to die? And I pray to God that it’s not my daughter for that to happen.” That is the concern of Jim Kropf, the father of Alexa Kropf. Alexa is the young woman who is now at Albany Medical Center in critical but stable condition. “I can tell you one thing. I spoke with the mayor. She reached out to me after I first reached out to her and I’m very disappointed with her,” said Kropf.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan says she’s been to the hospital to see the family and says she understands Jim’s frustrations. “I can understand that her parents are in pain and in agony and that they want answers. And I share that agony and that pain and that demand for answers,” said Albany Mayor, Kathy Sheehan.
The mayor once again reiterating what the city is doing to put an end to the illegal dirt bikes. And the method is becoming increasingly popular with law enforcement for all sorts of issues. “I don’t want to disclose the techniques that we use because we don’t want the people who are engaging in this activity to then seek to avoid those methodologies that we have. But I can assure you that we already do use drones. And that is part of a strategy that we deployed last year and that we continue to deploy.,” said Sheehan.
New York Assembly Member Patricia Fahy says the state will do everything in its power to put a stop to the illegal acts and says newer technology is a safer bet in apprehension. “Drones can at least help you track this without endangering the lives of other pedestrians when police do try to track down these individuals. Make No mistake, this is outrageous. I am horrified as a mother, let alone a lawmaker,” exclaimed Fahy.
Attorney Ryan McCall Senior Associate with Tully Rinckey breaks down the possible consequences if the driver is caught. “At that point, even if it’s involuntary manslaughter, I believe that that point you’re still looking at a minimum of approximately 5 years, give or take. But if this is something where it doesn’t happen and it’s a first-time offender and hopefully, she does pull through. Again, talking most likely probation and a minor jail sentence,” said McCall.
Mayor Sheehan tells NEWS10 the city has confiscated a dozen illegal dirt bikes since the city outlawed them back in 2021. “We are following these vehicles. We are engaging in surveillance, we are able to see the crimes these individuals commit and when we have the ability to execute a search warrant and arrest these individuals, we are doing that,” said Sheehan.
