Bicyclist attacked during dispute over litter in Edgewater, helmet likely saved life

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A 69-year-old bicyclist was seriously injured in a dispute over litter in Edgewater.

Chicago police said Wednesday in the 1000-block of West Hollywood Avenue, the victim was riding his bike northbound when, while stopped at a red light, he saw a person in a car drop a small bag of food trash out of the window onto the street.

The bicyclist picked the bag up and placed it on the car's windshield and went to leave. While the man doesn't remember what happened next, surveillance video shows the passenger got out of that car and punched him in the head.

The victim fell, with his head under the wheel of a Jeep, which tried to drive around him but caught his head under the rear tire.

The victim's helmet was crushed, police said, and likely saved his life.

The man is hospitalized but his condition is stable, police said. It was not immediately clear if the attacker was in custody, or if the driver who ran him over stopped and waited for police.