Fourteen Dead, Still Waiting: Make Valdez Act Now

An SUV hit a 61-year-old man in Queens. He crossed with the signal. The driver failed to yield and was distracted. The pedestrian suffered head injuries and severe lacerations. The street ran red with danger. The system failed him.

A 61-year-old pedestrian was struck by a station wagon/SUV while crossing Maspeth Ave at 59th Street in Queens. According to the police report, the pedestrian was crossing with the signal at the intersection when the SUV, making a left turn, hit him. The pedestrian suffered head injuries and severe lacerations and was described as semiconscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The driver was licensed and operating a 2010 Nissan SUV. No injuries were reported for the driver or passenger. The crash highlights the lethal risk when drivers fail to yield and pay attention, even when pedestrians follow the law.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812649, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A woman in an SUV swung a U-turn on Skillman Avenue, her bumper smashing into a man riding straight. His leg was crushed. He stayed conscious. He stayed hurt. The street swallowed another cyclist in daylight.

According to the police report, a woman driving an SUV on Skillman Avenue near 43rd Street made a U-turn and struck a 45-year-old man riding a bike. The report states, 'The front bumper struck a man on a bike. He was crushed in the leg.' The cyclist, who was traveling straight ahead, suffered crush injuries to his knee and lower leg but remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Turning Improperly' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors, highlighting dangerous driver actions that led to the crash. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this detail is noted only after the primary driver errors. The collision underscores the risks faced by cyclists when drivers disregard traffic controls and execute improper turns.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809294, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A young rider merges west on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Metal meets Ford’s rear bumper. The Kawasaki skids. The rider’s leg splits, blood pooling. No helmet. The Ford rolls on, untouched. The city’s highway claims another body.

A 22-year-old man riding a Kawasaki motorcycle was injured while merging westbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, according to the police report. The report states, 'A Kawasaki motorcycle merges. Metal strikes left rear bumper. The rider, twenty-two, crumples to the pavement. Blood pools near his leg, torn and raw. No helmet. He is awake. The Ford shows no wounds.' The collision left the motorcyclist with severe lacerations to his lower leg and foot. Police data lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The Ford car involved sustained no damage and its driver is not reported as injured. The report notes the rider was not wearing a helmet, but does not identify this as a contributing factor. No driver errors are cited in the official record. The narrative centers on the violence of impact and the vulnerability of the rider.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808178, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Federal attack on congestion pricing draws fire in Queens. Rep. Velázquez vows court fight. Council Member Julie Won joins call for activism. Panel slams rollback of protections. The crowd demands action to defend New Yorkers from federal threats.

On February 20, 2025, Rep. Nydia Velázquez led a Queens town hall to rally opposition against Trump Administration policies, including the federal move to block New York City's congestion pricing plan. The event, held at Sunnyside Community Services, featured Council Member Julie Won (District 26) and other local officials. The panel condemned the rollback of protections for immigrants and the firing of NLRB board member Gwynne A. Wilcox. Velázquez declared, 'We’ll see him in court,' after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revoked federal approval for congestion pricing. She pledged to fight budget cuts targeting vulnerable communities and criticized tax breaks for the wealthy. Julie Won joined the call for grassroots activism. The town hall spotlighted the threat to New York’s sovereignty and the urgent need to defend city streets and programs from federal interference.

• Velázquez leads Queens town hall against Trump policies, calls for activism, amny.com, Published 2025-02-20

A taxi swung right on Fresh Pond Road. A cyclist turned left. Steel struck flesh. A 23-year-old man’s leg shattered on cold pavement. No helmet, no warning, just the sharp snap of bone and the city’s indifference.

According to the police report, a collision occurred at Fresh Pond Road and Gates Avenue in Queens when a taxi made a right turn and a cyclist turned left. The report states, 'A taxi turned right. A bike turned left. Steel struck bone.' The 23-year-old cyclist was thrown to the pavement, suffering crush injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The police narrative describes the aftermath: 'his leg crushed. No helmet. No horn. Just pain, shock, and cold January light.' The only contributing factor cited in the report is 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion.' The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but lists no driver errors or additional contributing factors. The crash highlights the lethal consequences when turning vehicles and vulnerable road users cross paths in New York City’s chaotic streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787570, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A lane change cut too close on the Long Island Expressway. Steel slammed steel. Two taxi passengers suffered head injuries amid shattered glass. Shock and bruises followed. The crash exposed dangerous driver errors and left victims broken and silent.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on the eastbound Long Island Expressway around 8:30. The collision resulted from an 'Unsafe Lane Changing' maneuver by a vehicle, which cut too close and struck a taxi. The taxi sustained damage to its left side doors, while the SUV hit the taxi with its right front bumper. Two passengers in the taxi’s rear seats, a 33-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, both suffered head injuries including a concussion and contusions. Both were not wearing safety equipment and were left in shock. The report cites 'Unsafe Lane Changing' and 'Other Vehicular' factors as causes. The violent impact shattered glass and caused serious injuries. The police report clearly attributes the crash to driver errors, with no fault assigned to the injured passengers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4785052, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Honda SUV crashed into two parked cars on Himrod Street. Metal screamed. The driver’s face was crushed. He was conscious, bloodied, silent. Alcohol was involved, according to police. The street stood still, broken by the violence of impact.

A 2010 Honda SUV struck two parked vehicles near 1717 Himrod Street in Queens. According to the police report, the crash occurred at 3:25 a.m. and involved a single driver, age 29, who suffered severe facial injuries described as 'crush injuries.' The report states the driver was 'conscious' after the collision. Police explicitly list 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor. The narrative details that the SUV 'slammed into two parked cars,' emphasizing the violence of the crash. Both struck vehicles were stationary at the time. The driver was wearing only a lap belt. No actions by other road users contributed to the crash, and no pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The focus remains on the driver’s actions and the cited presence of alcohol as a systemic danger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4782236, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A pickup truck slammed into a taxi on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The impact struck a 75-year-old man seated in the taxi’s back seat. He suffered fatal head and internal injuries. The pickup driver lost consciousness during the crash.

According to the police report, a pickup truck traveling westbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway collided with a taxi. The pickup's center front end struck the taxi's right rear bumper. Inside the taxi, a 75-year-old man seated in the middle rear seat took the blow to his head. The report states, "A pickup struck a taxi. A 75-year-old man in the back seat took the blow with his head. He did not fly through glass. He stayed in place. His body broke inside. He died there." The contributing factor cited is "Lost Consciousness" by the pickup driver. No victim behavior was listed as contributing. The crash caused fatal internal and head injuries to the passenger, highlighting the deadly consequences of driver incapacitation behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4773163, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A flatbed truck rolled east on Queens Boulevard. A 23-year-old bicyclist crossed north. Metal struck skull. Blood pooled. The truck kept moving. The cyclist lay injured, head bleeding, helmetless. Driver inattention marked the moment. The bike did not move again.

According to the police report, a flatbed truck was traveling east on Queens Boulevard at 35th Street when it struck a 23-year-old male bicyclist crossing north. The collision resulted in severe head bleeding for the cyclist, who was conscious but helmetless. The report states the truck 'kept rolling' while 'the bike did not.' Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The cyclist’s lack of helmet is noted in the report, but the primary error identified is the truck driver's inattention. The impact was forceful enough to cause blood to pool on the asphalt, underscoring the grave consequences of driver distraction on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752810, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Steel struck flesh on 43rd Street. A Tesla turned left. A moped kept straight. The rider’s leg shattered under the car’s weight. No helmet. Blood on the pavement. Night air thick with sirens and the cold bite of metal.

A violent collision unfolded at 43rd Street and 50th Avenue in Queens when a Tesla sedan turned left and struck a moped traveling straight, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 8:15 p.m. The report details that the moped rider, a 26-year-old man, suffered severe crush injuries to his leg and was conscious at the scene. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors. The moped rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the driver errors. The Tesla’s left front bumper collided with the moped’s right front, sending the rider to the pavement. The police report’s language—'Steel struck flesh. A 26-year-old man crumpled to the pavement, leg crushed'—underscores the brutal impact and the dangers faced by vulnerable road users when drivers fail to yield or pay attention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4748128, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan turned left on 68th Avenue, striking a 64-year-old woman crossing with the signal. The driver did not stop. Her leg was crushed. The car showed no damage. The pain lingered at the intersection.

According to the police report, a sedan making a left turn at 68th Avenue and Fresh Pond Road struck a 64-year-old woman as she crossed the intersection with the pedestrian signal. The report states the driver failed to yield the right-of-way, a critical error cited as the primary contributing factor. The driver fled the scene without stopping, leaving the woman with severe crush injuries to her leg. The vehicle, a 2021 Hyundai sedan, showed no visible damage. The police report notes the pedestrian was crossing with the signal, emphasizing that driver failure to yield was the decisive factor in the collision. No other contributing behaviors by the victim are listed. The crash underscores the persistent danger posed to pedestrians by drivers who disregard right-of-way at city intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4747712, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A box truck swung right on Greenpoint Avenue. An e-bike rider, just 28, kept straight. She was thrown, her hip shattered. She died there, helmet on, beneath the Queens sun. Failure to yield and driver distraction ended her ride.

According to the police report, a box truck was making a right turn at Greenpoint Avenue and 43rd Street in Queens when it struck a 28-year-old woman riding an e-bike straight through the intersection. The impact ejected her from the bike, shattering her hip and causing fatal injuries. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors on the part of the truck driver. The e-bike rider was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the driver's errors. The collision occurred at 11:35 a.m., with the truck's right front bumper cited as the point of impact. The woman died at the scene, another life ended by a driver’s failure to yield and lack of attention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4741425, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A moped turned right, striking a bicycle from behind on Queens Boulevard. A GMC SUV then hit a 36-year-old pedestrian head-on, crushing his lower body. Both drivers failed to yield right-of-way, causing chaos at the intersection.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at Queens Boulevard and Jackson Avenue in Queens around 19:43. A moped was making a right turn and struck a bicycle from behind, damaging the moped's left side doors and the bike's center back end. Subsequently, a GMC SUV traveling straight ahead struck a 36-year-old pedestrian head-on, causing contusions and crush injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor for both the moped and SUV drivers. Additionally, the pedestrian was noted for 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Turning Improperly,' while the bicyclist was cited for 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded.' The sequence highlights systemic dangers when multiple drivers fail to yield at busy intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4739338, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Ford carry-all turned left at 47th Avenue and 46th Street. The truck struck a 16-year-old girl in the center of the crosswalk. She suffered fatal head wounds. The driver’s view was obstructed. The truck showed no damage. The license remained.

A deadly collision unfolded at the corner of 47th Avenue and 46th Street in Queens when, according to the police report, a Ford carry-all making a left turn struck a 16-year-old pedestrian in the center of the crosswalk. The report states the girl was crushed and suffered fatal head wounds. The driver’s actions are underscored by the police report’s citation of 'View Obstructed/Limited' as a contributing factor. The truck sustained no damage, and the driver kept his license, according to the police report. No contributing factors were attributed to the victim. The report details the systemic danger faced by pedestrians at intersections, especially when drivers proceed with limited visibility.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4735938, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Queens residents gathered under the 7 train. They blasted Governor Hochul’s sudden halt of congestion pricing. Protesters called it a betrayal of millions who rely on transit. Anger burned over lost upgrades, broken promises, and a system that favors drivers over straphangers.

On June 11, 2024, three dozen Queens residents rallied against Governor Hochul’s last-minute decision to pause congestion pricing. The protest, organized by Laura Shepard of Transportation Alternatives, took place under the 7 train. Jaqi Cohen of Tri-State Transportation Campaign declared, “She can't ignore the needs of New York's eight million transit riders.” Restaurant owner Michael Fuquay said, “You want to know how my employees get to work? They walk, they bike, they take the bus.” State Assembly candidate Claire Valdez called the move “a slap in the face to millions who use public transit.” The MTA’s capital plan, including long-awaited elevator upgrades at 46 St-Bliss St and 33 St-Rawson, now hangs in the balance. Protesters condemned the governor’s action as a blow to vulnerable New Yorkers who depend on safe, reliable transit.

• Queens Residents Rally Against Hochul’s Congestion Pricing Flip Flop, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-11

A diesel truck veered on the Long Island Expressway. A Yamaha slammed its rear. The rider, twenty-six, flew from the bike. His helmet cracked. His body struck pavement. His breath stopped. The truck kept moving. The road claimed another life.

A deadly crash unfolded on the Long Island Expressway when a diesel tractor truck shifted lanes, according to the police report. The Yamaha motorcycle, traveling straight ahead, struck the truck's right rear bumper. The 26-year-old motorcyclist, wearing a helmet, was ejected from his bike. The helmet cracked on impact, and the rider suffered fatal injuries to his entire body. The police report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, pointing to a critical driver error by the truck operator during the lane change. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The violence of the impact and the disregard for traffic control combined to end a young life on a highway built for speed, not safety.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729766, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Chevy sedan veered off course on Forest Avenue, smashing headlong into a parked Honda. Metal twisted. Glass bloodied. The driver, 38, conscious but bleeding, suffered deep wounds. The Honda never moved. The street stayed silent.

According to the police report, a Chevy sedan traveling southeast on Forest Avenue near Woodbine Street veered from its path and struck a parked Honda sedan head-on. The report describes the incident as 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper,' highlighting a clear driver error. The Honda was stationary and unoccupied at the time of the crash. The impact left the Chevy's driver, a 38-year-old man, conscious but with severe lacerations to the head and bleeding, as detailed in the report: 'Metal crumpled. Blood on glass.' No contributing factors are attributed to the parked vehicle or any other party. The collision underscores the consequences of improper lane usage and loss of vehicle control, with all harm falling on the driver responsible for the errant maneuver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729454, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

An 18-year-old cyclist bled from the head after a head-on crash on Honeywell Street. Blood pooled on the pavement. The driver failed to see him. The street kept moving. The cyclist stayed conscious, injured and alone.

An 18-year-old cyclist was struck head-on on Honeywell Street near Skillman Avenue in Queens, sustaining a severe head injury and bleeding heavily, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 7:30 a.m. The report states, 'The driver did not see him,' and lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The cyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, remained conscious at the scene, but blood pooled on the pavement. The police report does not cite any cyclist behavior as a contributing factor. The incident underscores the danger posed when drivers fail to pay attention, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to grave harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727727, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

An unlicensed 18-year-old on a 2023 ZHEJIANG motorscooter slammed headfirst, ejected, and died on Laurel Hill Boulevard. The streetlight flickered above his crushed skull. No helmet. No one else involved. The road claimed another young life.

According to the police report, an 18-year-old male, operating a 2023 ZHEJIANG motorscooter, crashed near Laurel Hill Boulevard and 49th Street in Queens at 22:37. The report states he was 'unlicensed and bareheaded,' and that he was ejected from the vehicle, suffering fatal head injuries. The narrative describes the victim as slamming 'headfirst' and dying alone on the pavement. Police records indicate the driver had no license and wore no safety equipment. The vehicle sustained damage to the center front end, consistent with a high-impact collision. The police report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor, but the data makes clear the driver was unlicensed and not wearing a helmet. No other vehicles or persons were involved. The crash underscores the lethal risk of unlicensed operation and lack of protective equipment, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709150, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A taxi turned left on Thomson Avenue. An SUV slammed its side. Metal screamed. Blood pooled as a woman in the back seat faded, semiconscious, her face split open, her belt holding her in place. The city’s danger pressed in.

A severe collision unfolded on Thomson Avenue when a taxi making a left turn was struck on its side by an SUV proceeding straight, according to the police report. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. Inside the taxi, a 49-year-old woman seated in the right rear position suffered severe facial lacerations and was found semiconscious, her lap belt and harness holding her in place. The narrative states, 'A taxi turned left. An SUV struck its side. Metal shrieked. In the back seat, a woman’s face split open. Blood pooled on the floor. She faded, semiconscious, her belt holding what the crash could not.' The violence of the impact and the cited driver inattention underscore the systemic dangers faced by passengers in New York City traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4702479, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14