Michael Henninger/Post-Gazette

A bicycling enthusiast through and through, Dan Yablonsky has ridden in places that mere mortals would shy away from — the streets of New York City and Denver and across the Western Continental Divide.

He is now on a journey far longer and more arduous than any of his bike trips. On May 13, Mr. Yablonsky, 23, was run over while cycling on Liberty Avenue in Lawrenceville. The driver of a Jeep fled the scene, leaving Mr. Yablonsky, as he put it, “mangled on the ground.”

Police found the Jeep and the remnants of Mr. Yablonsky’s bike, which the driver had yanked out of the vehicle’s undercarriage some distance from the crash. An investigation continues, and criminal charges are likely.

Another thing is likely, according to Mr. Yablonsky: When he has recovered from injuries that shattered him from head to toe, he will resume his pursuit of a career as a bicycling advocate.

“Now I know the stakes,” he said in an interview at HealthSouth Harmarville Rehabilitation Hospital in Indiana Township. “Now I know the stakes of having a safe environment [for cyclists].”

Become a member of BikePGH today and help transform Pittsburgh! Bike Pittsburgh works to protect cyclist’s rights and promote the vision of making Pittsburgh a safer and more enjoyable place to live and to ride. For more info, check out: www.bike-pgh.org/membership