BUFFALO, N.Y. — The bicyclist hit by the driver of a truck Wednesday night in Niagara Square is "in good spirits" following the incident during a protest that evening.
Buffalo Police say the driver 25-year-old Joanna Gollnau of Buffalo has been charged with felony reckless endangerment and reckless driving.
The bicyclist, 59-year-old Karen Huffman, was attending the protest, where people were demanding justice for the family of Breonna Taylor. She was rushed to Erie County Medical Center Wednesday and according to Buffalo Police was is in stable condition Thursday.
Huffman is an active member of the groups GOBike and Slow Roll Buffalo.
Slow Roll Buffalo co-founder Seamus Gallivan told 2 On Your Side on Friday night that Huffman is in "great spirits" and at home recovering.
"Karen is her usual self and excited to get back out there, and she is fine. Who is not fine is Breonna Taylor's family, and that's why Karen was there in the first place. What is not fine is the state of this city and the continued oppression of our people, and that's where Karen wants our attention right now, to stay on the reasons she was down there in the first place," Gallivan said.
In this case, city officials say there was a lot of video of what happened. Buffalo Police Captian Jeff Rinaldo said investigators reviewed that footage over the past few days.
"Once they had a complete picture of the circumstances, in consultation with the Erie County District Attorney's Office, charges were pressed this morning against the defendant," Rinaldo said.
2 On Your Side's Pete Gallivan asked Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown if the charges would have been approached quicker if Gollnau hadn't been cooperative.
Mayor Brown responded, "I don't fully know the answer to that. Obviously, police know who the driver was. They knew where the driver lived. They had all the driver information. The driver was very cooperative, and that possibly factored into what happened. In a case like this, an arrest is not always made in the same day, and an investigation was immediately begun."
On her Facebook page early Friday morning, Huffman made a post telling family and friends she will be marching with them soon. She also thanked people for the "outpouring of love and prayers."
Rinaldo said that consistent with the state's new bail reform, Gollnau is not in custody.
2 On Your Side has filed a Freedom of Information Act Request with the City of Buffalo for both the police report and the mugshot, if one was taken.
A spokesperson with the Erie County District Attorney's office said Gollnau was given an appearance ticket for November 3.
