Bike accident victim dies; new lanes planned

Phila. resident Benjamin Tencer, 70 died Monday of massive head injuries. The 70-year-old man hit by a car Friday at 34th and Walnut streets died on Monday as a result of his injuries, hospital officials announced yesterday. Benjamin Tencer, a Philadelphia resident taking classes at Penn as part of a special program for senior citizens, was riding his bicycle west on Walnut Street when he veered to the left and was hit by a taxi traveling in the same direction at around 10 a.m. Friday. Tencer sustained massive head injuries and was rushed to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Doctors pronounced him brain dead three days later, according to HUP spokesperson Rebecca Harmon. HUP officials incorrectly told The Daily Pennsylvanian on both Monday and Tuesday that Tencer remained in critical condition. "Absolutely, it's tragic," University spokesperson Ken Wildes said of the death. "There's no question that our thoughts and prayers are with his family." Tencer was one of several hundred older adults enrolled in the University's Senior Associates program, run by the College of General Studies and the Institute on Aging. The 20-year-old program allows community members over the age of 65 to audit Penn courses with the permission of individual professors. CGS Assistant Dean Monique Bourque, who coordinates the Senior Associates program, said that Tencer had taken four courses at Penn since last year -- with an emphasis on history and science classes -- and was enrolled in his fifth this semester. Bourque said the news of Tencer's death comes as a blow to the 343-member Senior Associates community. "We're all very saddened and we're of course very surprised that it happened," Bourque said. At the time of his death, Tencer was taking Communications 125: Introduction to Communication Behavior, an undergraduate course taught at the Annenberg School for Communication. Tencer was likely headed for the class, which meets Fridays at 10 a.m., when he was hit. Annenberg Professor Vincent Price, who teaches the large introductory course, said he never got a chance to meet Tencer face to face but recognized him from his involvement in class. "Other than knowing he was there and participating actively in the discussions, I didn't get the opportunity to meet him," Price said. "It's such a shame." Members of Tencer's family were not available for comment yesterday and there was no word on funeral arrangements. The driver of the cab stopped immediately after clipping Tencer, according to both police officials and witnesses at the scene. Officials at the Philadelphia Police Department's Automobile Investigation Division said yesterday they are investigating the accident to determine if any criminal charges are appropriate. The officer in charge of the investigation was not available for comment yesterday. The death at the busy, accident-prone Walnut Street intersection may spark new ways to improve pedestrian safety along the thoroughfare. City officials have been planning for several years -- prior to this latest incident -- to create bike lanes on Walnut and Spruce streets and to make the area safer for bicyclists and pedestrians. Wildes said that at the very least Tencer's death may force officials to do more in the area of pedestrian safety. "I hope, in some meaningful way, there can be some good that comes out of this," Wildes said. "Maybe that will be in the form of more delineated places for bikes to ride."

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