The man accused of killing a cyclist on the Paul Dudley White Bike Path in Cambridge had already left one wrecked Mercedes behind before he allegedly put someone in the ground with another one. New reporting on the case of Junming Zhu raises serious questions about what Massachusetts’ system of accountability for dangerous drivers is actually accomplishing, and whether anyone in a position of authority was paying attention.
Zhu, 25, of Malden, is currently facing charges of negligent motor vehicle homicide, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and a marked lane violation in connection with the death of John Corcoran, a 62-year-old Newton man who was riding his bicycle on the Paul Dudley White Bike Path near the Boston University Bridge on the evening of September 23, 2024. Prosecutors and eyewitnesses allege that Zhu veered off Memorial Drive and struck Corcoran head-on. Zhu has pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
What makes this case more troubling than your average vehicular homicide is the timeline. According to a police report obtained by Streetsblog Massachusetts from the Melrose Police Department, Zhu had already caused a serious two-car crash on Main Street in Melrose just seven weeks before Corcoran was killed. That crash ended with a wrecked Mercedes, a damaged BMW, and Zhu on foot half a mile from the scene, heading toward Malden. He was issued a misdemeanor citation and sent on his way…