Absent Leaders, Deadly Streets: Blood on Berger’s Hands

Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-17

Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-12

A motorcycle struck a sedan’s rear on Whitestone Expressway. One man suffered crush injuries. Two sedans and a motorcycle tangled. The crash left a driver semiconscious. Police cited following too closely. Metal twisted. Lives changed in seconds.

A crash on Whitestone Expressway involved two sedans and a motorcycle. One male driver, age 39, was injured with crush injuries and found semiconscious. According to the police report, the collision was caused by 'Following Too Closely.' The motorcycle, traveling north and changing lanes, hit the right rear quarter panel of a northbound sedan. The impact damaged the right side doors of the sedan and the motorcycle’s front end. Two other occupants, a 42-year-old female driver and a 29-year-old male, were listed with unspecified injuries. No helmet or signal use was cited as a contributing factor. The report highlights driver error as the primary cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4819015 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A parked SUV rolled free on Queens Boulevard. It struck a woman, leaving her with deep cuts and leg injuries. Two others were listed as occupants. The crash happened at night. The police called it a driverless, runaway vehicle.

A crash involving a runaway SUV and a sedan occurred at 125-01 Queens Boulevard in Queens. One woman, age 56, was riding or hanging on the outside of a vehicle when she was struck and injured. She suffered severe lacerations and injuries to her lower leg and foot. Two other occupants, a 56-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man, were also involved but their injuries were unspecified. According to the police report, the contributing factor was 'Driverless/Runaway Vehicle.' Both vehicles were parked before the incident. The SUV sustained damage to its left side doors, and the sedan to its right rear bumper. No driver errors beyond the runaway vehicle were listed in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816243 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan struck an e-scooter on Grand Central Parkway. The rider, 53, suffered head wounds and severe bleeding. Police cite driver distraction. Both vehicles traveled north. No other injuries reported.

An e-scooter and a sedan collided on Grand Central Parkway near Jewel Avenue in Queens. The 53-year-old e-scooter rider was partially ejected and suffered a head injury with severe bleeding. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was a contributing factor for both drivers. The sedan driver and another occupant were not injured. Both vehicles were traveling north and going straight ahead at the time of the crash. The police report does not mention any other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815261 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A driver fell asleep on 25 Ave, striking two pedestrians. Both suffered serious injuries. Metal met flesh. Blood on asphalt. System failed the walking. Cars ruled the night.

Two pedestrians, a 24-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man, were struck and injured on 25 Ave at 124 St in Queens. According to the police report, the crash involved sedans and was caused by a driver who 'Fell Asleep.' The woman suffered fractures and dislocations to her entire body. The man sustained severe lacerations to his arm. Both were conscious after impact. The report lists 'Fell Asleep' as the sole contributing factor. No actions or errors are attributed to the pedestrians.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812049 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Ford sedan turned left on College Point Blvd, striking a southbound cyclist. Steel hit flesh. The rider, 32, fell. Legs crushed. The street fell silent except for pain. Police cite driver distraction. Systemic danger left another body broken.

A collision occurred on College Point Blvd near 14th Road in Queens at 5:49 a.m., involving a Ford sedan and a southbound cyclist. According to the police report, the sedan was 'making left turn' when it struck the cyclist, who was 'going straight ahead.' The report states, 'Steel met skin. The rider, 32, fell hard. Legs crushed.' The cyclist suffered crush injuries to the lower legs and remained conscious at the scene. Police explicitly list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor for both the sedan and the crash overall. The sedan’s left front bumper struck the bike’s center front end. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after driver distraction is cited as the cause. The crash underscores the persistent risk posed by inattentive drivers to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4794907 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A distracted sedan driver struck an infant boy in Queens. The right front bumper hit his head. Blood pooled on the dark asphalt. The child lay semiconscious, not yet one year old. The road offered no protection. The car did not stop.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling north near 75-11 150th Street in Queens struck an infant boy who was not yet one year old. The vehicle's right front bumper hit the child's head, causing severe bleeding and leaving him semiconscious on the roadway. The report states the crash occurred at 21:38, after dark. Driver inattention and distraction are cited as the sole contributing factors in both the vehicle and person records. The narrative confirms the driver was distracted at the time of impact. No contributing factors are attributed to the infant pedestrian. The police report describes the scene in stark terms: 'The right front bumper hit his head. He bled on the asphalt, semiconscious.' The data underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction, especially for the most vulnerable.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4791835 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A man slammed his Mercedes into a stopped car on the Whitestone Expressway. The impact threw an MTA worker onto the pavement. The driver ran. The worker died. Police found the abandoned car. The driver had no license.

NY Daily News reported on February 5, 2025, that James Vennitti, 63, was arrested for a deadly hit-and-run on the Whitestone Expressway in Queens. On February 10, 2024, Vennitti allegedly rear-ended David Berney, 43, after Berney and another driver stopped in the middle lane following a minor collision. The crash threw Berney from his car, killing him at the scene. The other driver was injured. Vennitti, unlicensed, abandoned his Mercedes and fled on foot. Police arrested him a year later. A grand jury indicted Vennitti for leaving the scene of a fatal crash and driving without a license. The case highlights the lethal risk of unlicensed driving and the dangers of stopped vehicles on high-speed roads.

• Unlicensed Driver Flees Queens Fatal Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-05

A distracted SUV driver veered south on Van Wyck Expressway, slamming head-on into a man standing near a parked flatbed. The impact crushed his body. He died there, under the cold morning sky, another life ended by driver inattention.

A 41-year-old man was killed on the Van Wyck Expressway when a southbound SUV struck him head-on as he stood near a parked flatbed, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 11:35 a.m. The report states the SUV driver was 'distracted' and that 'alcohol was involved.' The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was engaged in 'other actions in roadway,' but the police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The SUV's right front bumper delivered the fatal blow, crushing the man's body. The police narrative describes the victim's death as immediate, with his body 'crumpled beneath the wheels.' No contributing factors are attributed to the pedestrian. The data underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction and impairment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4776236 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A woman, 32, died crushed in the back seat of a sedan on the Long Island Expressway. The car bore no damage. The road was silent. Her body remained where the night left it, unmoved, unmarked, a life ended in stillness.

According to the police report, a 32-year-old woman was killed while riding as a rear passenger in a sedan traveling eastbound on the Long Island Expressway. The report states she died of crush injuries and was not ejected from the vehicle. The narrative notes, 'No ejection. No skid marks. The car showed no damage. The road was silent. The body stayed where the night left it.' Police list the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors such as speeding, distraction, or failure to yield are cited in the available data. The vehicle, a 2019 Volkswagen sedan, had no visible damage and was reported to be going straight ahead at the time of the crash. The report does not mention any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The cause of the fatal crush injuries remains unexplained in the official account, leaving only the stark facts of loss and unanswered danger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4773456 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Mercedes surged down Union Turnpike, slamming into a man bent over his car. Metal hit bone. He fell, knees shattered, pain flooding his body. No crosswalk. No warning. The street swallowed his silence.

According to the police report, a pedestrian was working on his car near 149-11 Union Turnpike in Queens when a Mercedes sedan, traveling east, struck him directly in the legs. The report states the man was not at an intersection or crosswalk at the time. The narrative describes the Mercedes as coming 'fast,' hitting the pedestrian 'dead-on' and causing him to crumple to the pavement with severe injuries to his knees and lower legs. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are explicitly cited in the data, but the narrative highlights the vehicle's speed and the absence of any warning. The victim was engaged in 'Pushing/Working on Car' at the roadside. The report makes no mention of any actions by the pedestrian contributing to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768805 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A young driver lost control northbound on Van Wyck Expressway. The sedan crashed head-on. A 19-year-old woman in the back suffered severe head bleeding. Four people rode in the car. The airbag burst. The night stayed silent.

A sedan traveling northbound on Van Wyck Expressway crashed head-on, injuring a 19-year-old woman seated in the left rear. According to the police report, the vehicle was a 2017 Infiniti carrying four occupants. The report states the collision resulted in the rear passenger suffering 'severe bleeding' from the head, with the airbag deploying on impact. The police report explicitly lists 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor in the crash. No other contributing factors related to victim behavior are cited. The driver was described as young, and the car's center front end sustained significant damage. The report provides no details on external conditions or actions by other road users. The focus remains on the inexperience of the driver and the resulting injury to the passenger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766582 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Toyota’s bumper slammed into a woman crossing 71st Avenue with the light. Blood streaked her face. She stayed upright, conscious, wounded. The signal turned green. The street stayed red. Steel met flesh at the intersection. The city kept moving.

According to the police report, a Toyota’s left front bumper struck a 37-year-old woman as she crossed 71st Avenue near Parsons Boulevard. The report states she was crossing with the signal at the intersection when the collision occurred. The impact caused severe bleeding to her face, but she remained conscious at the scene. The narrative describes blood running down her face after the crash. The police report does not list any contributing factors for the driver, but the point of impact and the pedestrian’s lawful crossing with the signal highlight a failure of the driver to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk. No evidence in the report suggests any pedestrian error. The crash underscores the persistent danger faced by people on foot at city intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4760511 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Queens lawmakers slammed e-scooters, calling them chaos. They claimed danger, but city data shows no deaths or serious injuries. Council Member Ung introduced a bill to ban the program. Gennaro and Schulman support it. DOT says the program is safe and popular.

On September 17, 2024, Council Member Sandra Ung announced a bill to ban the Queens e-scooter share program. The bill, co-sponsored by Council Members James Gennaro and Lynn Schulman, follows a press conference where lawmakers denounced the program as hazardous. Gennaro said, "The program, as designed, leads to chaos." Ung called her bill a last resort. Assembly Members Sam Berger and David Weprin, and Community Board 8 Chair Martha Taylor, joined the opposition, citing sidewalk clutter and lack of outreach. However, DOT data contradicts their claims: since the program's June launch, 37,000 riders have taken 290,000 trips with no reported serious injuries or deaths. DOT says it held 35 briefings and implemented parking corrals in dense areas. Despite high ridership and safety records, the bill seeks to end the program, centering political frustration over proven outcomes.

• Queens Pols Have Lots of Claims About the Evils of Scooter-Share, But Few Facts, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-17

A van rolled down 147th Street, brakes failed. It pinned a 26-year-old man, crushing his legs. Blood pooled on the quiet pavement. Metal pressed flesh. Parked cars stood by, silent. The man stayed conscious, pain sharp, morning still.

A 26-year-old pedestrian suffered severe crush injuries to his legs when a van rolled from rest on 147th Street near 13th Avenue in Queens, according to the police report. The incident occurred at 8:51 a.m. The report states the van’s brakes were defective, causing it to move unexpectedly and strike the man. The narrative describes the van as having 'failed brakes' and details how it 'crushed a 26-year-old man’s legs.' The victim remained conscious on the pavement, bleeding. Two parked vehicles—a van and an SUV—were involved, but only the van moved. The police report lists 'Brakes Defective' as the primary contributing factor. No driver errors beyond mechanical failure are cited. The report does not attribute any contributing actions to the pedestrian. The focus remains on the van’s mechanical failure and the resulting harm to the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4756178 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A taxi slowed on 149th Street. The driver’s eyes left the road. A woman’s leg broke beneath the wheel. She went into shock. The car sat unharmed. The street held its breath as pain and silence filled the dusk.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling on 149th Street near 5th Avenue in Queens struck a 60-year-old woman who was standing in the roadway. The report states, 'The taxi slowed, but the driver looked away.' The woman suffered crush injuries to her knee and lower leg and went into shock. The police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor, with additional mention of 'Passenger Distraction.' The taxi itself sustained no damage. The victim was not at an intersection and was engaged in 'Other Actions in Roadway,' but the report identifies driver distraction as the primary cause. The focus remains on the driver’s failure to maintain attention, resulting in severe injury to a pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4751449 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A northbound Suzuki motorcycle struck a merging car on Van Wyck Expressway. The 28-year-old rider, helmeted, was ejected and left bleeding on the pavement. The crash tore his body. Shock set in. The highway roared on. He lay still.

According to the police report, a Suzuki motorcycle traveling northbound on Van Wyck Expressway collided with a car that was merging. The crash occurred at 4 p.m. The 28-year-old rider, who was wearing a helmet, was ejected from the motorcycle and suffered severe lacerations to his entire body. The report states the rider was left in shock and motionless on the pavement. Police cite 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as the contributing factor in the crash. The data makes clear that improper lane usage played a direct role in the violent collision. The rider's helmet use is noted in the report, but only after the primary driver error is established. No contributing factors are attributed to the merging car or to the victim beyond the cited lane usage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4744821 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A diesel truck rammed a northbound pickup on Whitestone Expressway. Metal folded, glass burst, three young adults trapped inside. Neck bones cracked. The truck’s nose caved, the pickup’s rear torn open. All survived, but the scars will linger.

According to the police report, a diesel tractor truck struck the rear of a northbound Ford pickup truck on Whitestone Expressway at 8:37 a.m. The report states, 'A diesel truck slammed into a northbound Ford pickup. The truck’s nose folded. The pickup’s rear tore open.' Three young adults inside the pickup—ages 20, 27, and 29—suffered severe neck crush injuries. None were ejected; all remained strapped in as the vehicle crumpled around them. The police report lists 'Following Too Closely' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors for the crash. The force of the impact left the pickup’s right rear bumper destroyed and the truck’s front end mangled. The data makes clear: driver error behind the wheel of the tractor truck led to devastating injuries for the pickup’s occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4740029 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Mazda SUV swung right on 160th Street. Metal met flesh. A 53-year-old woman on a bike went down, her leg shattered beneath the front left wheel. Blood pooled. She stayed conscious, silent, helmetless, pain radiating through the dusk.

A collision unfolded on 160th Street near Council District 19 at 7:40 p.m., involving a Mazda SUV and a woman riding a bicycle, according to the police report. The report states the SUV was making a right turn when it struck the cyclist, who was traveling east. The cyclist, a 53-year-old woman, suffered crush injuries to her lower leg after the SUV’s front left quarter panel hit her. She remained conscious but was bleeding on the pavement. According to the police report, 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' was cited as the contributing factor, highlighting a critical driver error. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this detail is listed only after the driver’s failure to yield. The impact and resulting injury underscore the dangers faced by cyclists when drivers do not yield as required.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4731994 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04