Astoria: Three Killed at Food Cart on 42nd Street

Jul 9 - A scooter hit an SUV at 28th Avenue and 42nd Street. The rider, unlicensed but helmeted, was thrown and killed. Both drivers lacked licenses. A stop sign was ignored. The street bore the mark of disregard and loss.

A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 28th Avenue and 42nd Street in Queens. A 50-year-old man riding a scooter collided head-on with an SUV. According to the police report, 'A scooter slammed head-on into an SUV. The rider, 50, unlicensed, helmeted, flew from the seat. His head struck the pavement. He died there. Both drivers unlicensed. A stop sign ignored.' The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. Both the scooter rider and the SUV driver were unlicensed. The rider wore a helmet, but the crash proved fatal. The ignored stop sign and lack of licenses marked a system failure that cost a life.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4643897 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 7 - A 21-year-old man crashed into parked sedans on Grand Central Parkway. His back broke. He stayed conscious. The lap belt held him. Amputation followed. The Mazdas and Fords stood still. He moved, then stopped.

A 21-year-old male driver crashed into parked sedans on Grand Central Parkway. According to the police report, the driver suffered a broken back and an amputation but remained conscious. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience,' 'Following Too Closely,' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The parked Mazdas and Fords did not move; the impact came from the moving sedan. The police report notes the driver wore a lap belt. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash left the driver with severe injuries, underscoring the risks posed by inattention and inexperience behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4645971 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jun 13 - Albany failed New York’s streets. Lawmakers blocked Sammy’s Law and other safety bills. Cyclists, pedestrians, and bus riders lost. Car culture ruled. Advocates called it a wasted session. Only transit funding and a bus pilot survived. No real progress for the vulnerable.

""I'm pretty devastated. The opposition comes from members who might have more car-centered districts and may be more transportation deserts. They argue that this would create traffic and their constituents hate it, but there's a misunderstanding of the bill, because it gives basically the discretion to the city."" -- Jessica González-Rojas

In the 2023 legislative session, Albany lawmakers failed to pass major street safety bills, including Sammy’s Law (which would let New York City set its own speed limits). The session ended June 13, 2023, with most safety and transit measures stalled in committee or blocked from a vote. The matter summary reads: 'This year's legislative session in Albany was considered one of the worst for livable streets and street safety, largely due to the failure to pass key bills such as Sammy's Law.' Council members and advocates like Eric McClure, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Amy Cohen, and Sara Lind voiced anger and disappointment. McClure said, 'We have to give the state legislature an 'F' for wasting an entire session without advancing legislation to make streets safer or to improve public transit.' The Assembly’s inaction left vulnerable road users exposed. Only increased MTA funding and a free bus pilot moved forward. The rest—protection for cyclists, pedestrians, and bus riders—died in committee.

• The Albany Report Card: A Scoundrel’s ‘F’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-06-13

Jun 4 - A Nissan sedan hit a 24-year-old cyclist from behind on Northern Boulevard. The driver was distracted. The cyclist, unlicensed and unhelmeted, suffered severe bleeding and lost consciousness. The street stayed silent as the crash left the rider broken.

A 24-year-old man riding a bike east on Northern Boulevard was struck from behind by a 2003 Nissan sedan. According to the police report, 'The driver was distracted.' The cyclist suffered severe, entire-body injuries and lost consciousness at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The cyclist was unlicensed and unhelmeted, but these details appear only after the primary driver error. No other injuries were reported. The crash highlights the lethal risk posed by distracted driving, especially to vulnerable road users like cyclists.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4636470 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 25 - A pickup struck an e-scooter from behind on Northern Boulevard. The rider flew. His head hit the street. Blood pooled. He did not rise. The truck followed too close. The city kept moving. The street stayed silent.

A pickup truck rear-ended an e-scooter at Northern Boulevard and 84th Street in Queens. The 30-year-old e-scooter rider was ejected and suffered severe head lacerations. According to the police report, the pickup was 'Following Too Closely' and traveling at an 'Unsafe Speed.' The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes listed are the driver’s errors. Both vehicles were moving east when the crash happened. The report describes the rider as conscious but bleeding on the asphalt after the violent impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4633300 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 8 - A woman clung to a moving CANAM near Roosevelt Avenue. She was thrown, crushed, her back broken. Parked cars stood scarred. Driver inexperience steered the chaos. The helmet stayed on. The street did not forgive.

A 43-year-old woman riding on the outside of a multi-wheeled CANAM was ejected and suffered a broken back and crush injuries on 85th Street near Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, 'A woman, 43, clung to the outside of a multi-wheeled CANAM. She was thrown, crushed, her back broken. Her helmet stayed on. Two parked cars stood scarred. Inexperience steered the wreck.' The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' as the primary contributing factor. The injured woman wore a helmet, as noted in the data, but the crash was driven by inexperience behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4629431 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Mar 11 - An SUV hit an 80-year-old woman crossing 31st Street in Queens. She suffered a head wound. Blood pooled on the pavement. The driver was young and distracted. The right side of the SUV crumpled. The woman stayed conscious.

An 80-year-old woman was struck by a northbound SUV on 31st Street near 23rd Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, the crash happened under midday sun. The woman was crossing the street when the SUV hit her, causing a head injury and severe bleeding. She remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The right side of the SUV was damaged in the impact. The driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead. The report does not mention any contributing factors related to the pedestrian beyond her location and action.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4612056 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Mar 3 - Governor Hochul’s budget dodges state duty. City pays more, gets less. Riders face fare hikes, no better service. State hoards surplus, starves transit. Lawmakers protest. Suburbs dodge taxes. The city shoulders the load. Riders pay the price. Streets stay dangerous.

Governor Hochul’s 2023 state budget proposal, analyzed March 3, 2023, keeps New York State’s long-running refusal to match MTA funding under law 18-b. The budget, now under legislative review, forces New York City to cover a $500 million gap, while the state sits on an $8.7 billion surplus. The matter: 'Hochul's budget not only asks city residents to cover the largest chunk of the MTA's budget gap, but does so in part by continuing long-running practices that essentially under-fund the MTA by millions of dollars each year.' Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas and State Sen. Andrew Gounardes both object, demanding the state honor its legal obligations. Riders Alliance and Reinvent Albany condemn the austerity. With fare hikes looming and no service improvements, city transit riders—often pedestrians and cyclists—bear the brunt. The budget leaves vulnerable road users exposed, as transit stagnates and car dominance persists.

• Analysis: Hochul Turns Her Back on Transit Riders With Her MTA Budget, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-03

Feb 17 - A Ford SUV hit a 7-year-old girl in a Queens crosswalk. She died on the street. The driver had only a permit. Police blamed driver inexperience. The SUV showed no damage. The road fell silent after the crash.

A 7-year-old girl was killed while crossing Newtown Road at 45th Street in Queens. According to the police report, she was in a marked crosswalk when a Ford SUV, driven by a permit-holder, struck her with the center front end. She died on the pavement. The report states, “A 7-year-old girl in a marked crosswalk was struck and killed by a Ford SUV driven by a permit-holder. She died on the pavement. The SUV’s front was clean.” Police listed 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor. No injuries were reported for the vehicle’s occupants. The girl was crossing without a signal, but the report does not cite this as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the risks faced by children in city crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4606489 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jan 6 - A bus and an e-scooter clashed near 25-39 72nd Street. The scooter tried to pass. Metal struck. A 31-year-old woman hit head-first. Blood marked the street. She stayed conscious. Passing went wrong. The city counted another wound.

A bus and an e-scooter collided near 25-39 72nd Street in Queens. The e-scooter, operated by a 31-year-old woman, attempted to pass the bus. According to the police report, 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' was a contributing factor. The front end of the e-scooter struck, causing the rider to hit head-first and suffer severe head lacerations. She remained conscious at the scene. The bus carried two occupants, both uninjured. The report notes the e-scooter rider was not wearing a helmet, but only after citing improper lane usage as the primary factor. The crash left the street marked by blood and silence.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605600 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Nov 15 - A Mazda sedan struck a man crossing 32nd Avenue. The driver was distracted. The impact crushed the man’s head and body. He died in the street. The car’s front end bore the blow. The night fell silent. Another life lost to inattention.

A 32-year-old man was killed while crossing 32nd Avenue when a westbound Mazda sedan hit him head-on. According to the police report, the driver was distracted at the time of the crash. The pedestrian suffered fatal head and internal injuries and died at the scene. The sedan’s front end took the brunt of the impact. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No other injuries were specified for the vehicle occupants. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction for people on foot.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4582298 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Nov 7 - Queens Community Board 2 voted to block a new SUV dealership on Northern Boulevard. Local leaders demand housing, not more cars. They cite danger, pollution, and reckless driving. Council Member Julie Won and Assembly Member González-Rojas back the board. The fight moves to City Planning.

On November 7, 2022, Queens Community Board 2 passed a resolution rejecting a rezoning application for a Lincoln SUV dealership on Northern Boulevard, Woodside. The matter, described as a call for a moratorium on car-related development, pits housing needs against car infrastructure. Council Member Julie Won supported the board, stating, "It should be a neighborhood rezoning instead of spot rezoning... we need to make it safer and more liveable." Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas also opposed the dealership, urging the space be used for affordable housing and highlighting dangerous driving by existing dealerships. Despite Borough President Donovan Richards' support for the rezoning, citing cycling and EV promotion, the application faces strong local resistance. The City Planning Commission now reviews the case, with a City Council vote possible. The board and electeds argue more cars mean more risk for pedestrians and cyclists on a deadly stretch.

• Woodside Wants Housing, But It’s Likely to Get More SUVs, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-11-07

Nov 1 - Bus lanes crawl while people die. Advocates and Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas rally on Northern Boulevard. Only 5.4 miles built, far short of the 20-mile goal. The city stalls. Streets stay deadly. Families mourn. The clock runs out.

On November 1, 2022, Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas joined advocates in Jackson Heights to demand faster bus lane construction under the New York City Streets Plan. The plan, launched to comply with a 2019 law, mandates 150 miles of protected bus lanes by 2026—20 miles in 2022 alone. With two months left, only 5.4 miles were finished. González-Rojas declared, 'We demand to get our 20 miles of bus lanes.' The rally took place on Northern Boulevard, a corridor scarred by pedestrian deaths, including 9-year-old Giovanni Ampuero. His father spoke out: 'If you don’t improve the street, people are going to still get killed.' The Department of Transportation claims progress and a $900 million investment, but the pace lags. The city’s delay leaves vulnerable road users at risk, as deadly streets remain unchanged.

• Adams admin has slowed to a crawl on bus lane construction, advocates say, amny.com, Published 2022-11-01

Oct 26 - Cyclists can now cross the Cross Bay Bridge. The Henry Hudson Bridge will follow after renovations. Assembly Member Gonzalez-Rojas pushed the law. Advocates pressed the MTA. Progress is slow, but real. Bike access grows. Riders still face gaps and delays.

Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas sponsored the 2021 bill that forced the MTA to plan bike and pedestrian access on its bridges. On October 26, 2022, the MTA announced legal cycling on the Cross Bay Bridge, with sharrows painted on the path. The Henry Hudson Bridge will open to cyclists after a major renovation, expected by 2025. The MTA will award a contract for that work next year. Gonzalez-Rojas said, 'This is what we worked toward when...we introduced and passed the MTA Bike Access bill.' Bike New York’s Jon Orcutt called the move 'pretty good progress.' The MTA also plans to add bike parking at 37 subway stations and expand bike access near transit. The Verrazzano Bridge remains off-limits for now. The announcement marks a step forward, but cyclists still face barriers and delays.

• Cyclists Will Finally Be Welcome on Cross Bay and Henry Hudson Bridges, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-10-26

Oct 22 - A man crashed his bike on Aske Street. He hit the pavement hard. Blood pooled from his head. No helmet. No other vehicle. He stayed conscious, pain etched on his face. The cause was unknown. The street stayed silent.

A 33-year-old man suffered a head injury while riding his bike on Aske Street near Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, he was found bleeding from the head, conscious but in pain, with no other vehicles or crash partners involved. The report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors or outside causes were identified in the data. The man was not wearing a helmet, which is noted in the report only after the absence of any driver or vehicle error. The crash left the cyclist injured and the cause remains undetermined.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4575021 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Oct 14 - A Volkswagen hit a man crossing Northern Boulevard. Blood ran from his head. He stayed conscious. The street fell silent. The crash left the man injured and the city colder.

A westbound Volkswagen sedan struck a 43-year-old man crossing Northern Boulevard in Queens. According to the police report, 'a man stepped into the dark road against the light. A westbound Volkswagen struck him head-on. Blood poured from his head. He stayed conscious.' The pedestrian suffered a head injury with severe bleeding. No driver errors were listed in the data. The police report notes the pedestrian was crossing against the signal, but does not cite any contributing factors for the driver. No other injuries were reported among the vehicle occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4572743 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Oct 5 - A Mercedes SUV turned left at 45th Street and 30th Avenue. It hit a 64-year-old woman crossing the street. Blood ran from her head. She stayed conscious. The SUV was untouched. The street was not.

A 64-year-old woman was struck by a Mercedes SUV while crossing at the intersection of 45th Street and 30th Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, the SUV was making a left turn when it hit the pedestrian, causing severe bleeding from her head. She remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The SUV sustained no damage. The driver, a 35-year-old man, was licensed and uninjured. No other injuries were reported. The woman was in the crosswalk when the crash occurred. The report does not mention any actions by the pedestrian as a contributing factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4571005 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 28 - A man on a bike hit the street hard. Blood pooled. He lay semiconscious. The bike flipped. The cause: failure to yield. Queens fell silent. The crash left pain and questions. The city moved on. The wound stayed.

A 40-year-old man riding a bike on 84th Street near 25th Avenue in Queens was ejected and severely injured. According to the police report, 'A 40-year-old man was thrown from his bike, bleeding and semiconscious. His body struck the pavement. The bike overturned. The cause: failure to yield.' The crash data lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The cyclist suffered injuries to his entire body and was left semiconscious with severe bleeding. No other vehicle damage was reported. The report does not specify helmet use or other safety equipment. The crash underscores the danger when drivers fail to yield, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to grave harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4533435 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 27 - MTA pledges better access for cyclists and walkers. The agency seeks public input. Sam Schwartz Engineering will draft the plan. New bike parking appears at Grand Central. Permit rules ease on commuter trains. Advocates push for more. History shows slow progress.

""Increasing access of cyclists to MTA bridges is a matter of environmental justice, public health, and labor justice,"" -- Jessica González-Rojas

On May 27, 2022, the MTA announced a strategic action plan to improve bicycle, pedestrian, and micromobility access to its trains and facilities. This follows a state bill signed last year mandating better conditions for cyclists. The plan, still in development, aims to create 'equitable access to the transit system and support sustainable transportation modes.' MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said, 'We want to improve customer access to our environmentally friendly MTA services, however they get to their train or bus.' Queens Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas called bridge access 'a matter of environmental justice, public health, and labor justice.' The MTA has ended bike permits on LIRR and Metro-North and added bike parking at Grand Central, but its record on bike access remains mixed. The agency is now seeking public comment and has hired Sam Schwartz Engineering to help shape the plan.

• MTA Promises to Do Better on Bike and Pedestrian Access — And Needs Your Help, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-05-27

Apr 23 - A Dodge SUV turned left at 48th Street and Northern Boulevard. Its bumper hit an 89-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She fell. Blood pooled. Her head struck the ground. She never woke up.

An 89-year-old woman was killed at the corner of 48th Street and Northern Boulevard. According to the police report, a Dodge SUV made a left turn and its bumper struck the woman as she crossed with the signal. The impact caused her to fall, resulting in head trauma and internal injuries. She was found unconscious and did not survive. The police report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' The data shows the pedestrian was following the signal at the intersection. No driver errors are specified in the report. No mention of helmet or signal use is listed as a factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4521828 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18