Bronx Driver Arrested Months After Fatally Hitting Cyclist Geoffrey Radbill, 78, in Manhattan

Lesnier Ortega Varona, 38, was arrested at his Bronx home for the Dec. 7 death of philanthropist Geoffrey Radbill on Riverside Drive.

Bronx Man Charged Months After Fatal Riverside Drive Crash

A Bronx man was arrested Wednesday in connection with the death of Geoffrey Radbill, 78, a philanthropist who was struck by a car while cycling on Riverside Drive in Washington Heights last December, the NY Post Metro reports.

Lesnier Ortega Varona, 38, was taken into custody by the NYPD at his Bronx residence, nearly ten months after the Dec. 7, 2025, crash that killed Radbill, an Upper West Side resident. Varona, who had no prior arrests, was charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian and released with a desk appearance ticket, police said.

According to police, Radbill was cycling north on Riverside Drive near West 158th Street around 9:30 a.m. when Varona, behind the wheel of a silver 2021 Toyota sedan, struck him from behind. Radbill suffered serious injuries and was transported to Harlem Hospital, where he later died.

Varona remained at the scene following the crash and was not immediately charged. Investigators subsequently identified criminality on his part and moved to arrest him, sources told NY Post Metro.

Radbill was widely recognized for his philanthropic contributions to Bowling Green State University, his alma mater. A member of the class of 1968, he previously served on the university's Board of Trustees and Foundation Board of Directors. The school's Geoffrey H. Radbill Center for College and Life Design bears his name.

University President Rodney K. Rogers paid tribute to Radbill on X in December. "Because of Geoff's support and belief in the power of a Bowling Green experience, thousands of students have gained life-changing opportunities through Life Design," Rogers wrote. "His legacy will forever shape our University and the lives of future Falcons."

Rogers also reflected on a personal connection with Radbill. "Geoff embodied the very spirit of his alma mater: He was hard-working, with a distinctive grit and an ability to see possibility that knew no limits. He was humble, kind and supportive."

Beyond his philanthropic work, Radbill had a lengthy career in finance. He retired in 2004 as senior vice president and chief operating officer of retail distribution at AXA-Equitable, following 36 years with the company in various managerial roles, according to a Bowling Green biography. He also contributed to fundraising and client service consulting for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Source: NY Post Metro