Actor Jason Alexander hits teen bicyclist in Mid-City

Actor Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza in the long-running "Seinfeld" TV series, hit a teenage bicyclist Tuesday in Mid-City, police officials said.

The collision was reported shortly after 7:15 a.m. at Wilshire Boulevard and June Street.

The 14-year-old boy was on his way to middle school when he was struck. He was taken to a hospital in stable condition.

Los Angeles police took an accident report and are investigating the incident, but Alexander was not cited.

Alexander played the neurotic George, friend to Jerry, Elaine and Kramer, on the hit TV show from 1989 to 1998.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Jason Alexander in 2007. Credit: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press

Comments

[TheBigPicture]

Road Warrior...

[Rosee]

This is the EXACT reason that bike riders should NOT be in the streets with cars! If there is a bike lane that is one thing...but in the street competing with cars..NO!

Hope this kid and Jason are ok!

[Andrewjh]

Car? Bus? Stick?

Nowhere in this snippet do we get the word "car," "vehicle," "automobile," or anything else to help us understand HOW Alexander hit the boy.

I mean, sure, it's probably a car, but, um, shouldn't Blankenstein be telling us that?

[PT1]

Be careful out there. Drivers and cyclists alike. A life depends on it.

[Matt]

Good idea Rosee. No more cars allowed in the streets.

[Laws Yes]

This is the EXACT reason that drivers should always be AWARE of their surroundings! The law allows bicyclists to use the whole lane of traffic. Car drivers need to take into consideration that bicyclists have a legal right to be there and will be increasing in numbers in the future. Learn the laws, and pay attention!

[Mike D]

Oh, so it's not Britney Spears' first ex-husband.

[dbs]

What is this TMZ? Why is this in the times?

[cordell]

Yah buddy, you get some of that crazy Seinfeld money.

[Dan H.]

Rosee: bikes have just as much right to be in the street as cars. I'd agree though that a bike lane down Wilshire would be great!

[Gabriel]

I sure hope that squirrel he swerved to avoid is ok.

[Yoga2010]

Rosie, if a truck hits a car or a bus hits a motorcyclist would you say the same thing? Bikes and cars can coexist as long as both drivers and riders are courteous and aware of each other. If you have a problem avoiding cyclists when you drive then I would politely suggest you don't.

[Marty Gillis]

I can just see the lawyers scrambling on this one! Watch out Jason, I smell lawsuit(s) !

[Robbiek]

I would love to ride a bike to work a few times a month. Most roads around here are not designed for bikes and cars to share and there are way to many reckless drivers out there.

[Zé]

@Rosee

What is the reason? Accidents? Most of the time it's the CAR's fault. If people in cars would pay attention, much of these issues would go away.

It's not supposed to be a competition.

[SDSillyCyclist]

Bicycles and cars can co-exist on the roads if both sides show proper respect towards each other and pay attention. This is done in nearly every other country in the world. Cyclist have to deal with cars every single minute they are on the roads. Cars have to deal with bikes maybe one minute a day. Can't car drivers show respect one minute a day?

[bikes around LA]

@ Rosee - oh you poor misguided individual. bikers are allowed on the streets. in fact, that is where they are preferred as to not cause a collision with pedestrians on the sidewalks! the kid should have been wearing a helmet as it is the law if you're under 18. other than that, it is the conductors of automobiles to be aware of their surroundings AT ALL TIMES; that includes being aware of sharing the right lane with bikers.

please feel free to pick up the drivers handbook at your local DMV field office and educate yourself on the laws surrounding sharing the road with bikers.

[John Meyer]

First off Rosee, if you think that vehicles are competing against bicycles for the road rather than, I don't know, all of us sharing and using the roads at the same time I really wouldn't want to be either cycling or riding next to you. But second off, would you say that all teenage drivers should be jerked off the road if one happens to get into an accident? Even if it was the teenage driver's fault?

[hbwarden]

Id bet anything he was on his phone or texting.

[FernWise]

Rosee is right - cars SHOULD be banned from the streets in cities. They are inefficient and clog them, making them unsafe for bikers, pedestrians, and small animals.

[CJ]

Rosee is wrong. Streets are made for all vehicles both motorized & bicycles and just saying bikes don't belong on the road won't solve the problem. Accidents usually happen because one isn't looking out for the other. More education for both drivers and cyclist as well as improvements to the roadway infrastructure is needed to help prevent this kind of thing from happening.

[benjdm]

This is the exact reason cars should not be in the streets with bikes! If there is a automobiles only lane that's one thing...but in the streets competing with bikes..No!

Of course, we could always drive our cars and ride our bikes according to the rules of the road instead of claiming ownership of the road for our vehicles only...

[Pat]

Riding a bike on Wilshire is suicide. There is no bike lane or shoulder big enough for a cyclist. Learn the hard way if you must.

[Henryof LA]

Bike riders and automobile must coexist on the roadway. There is no excuse for the two not using the rodeway safely.

[Jordan]

Kid plays frogger in the street and George Castanza runs HIM over? Wow.

The kid is lucky it was Mr. Alexander and not some lowlife who just took off running.