Children Bleed, Politicians Stall: How Many More Must Die on Brooklyn’s Streets?

Mar 31 - Assembly Member Novakhov stood at a funeral for a mother and two children killed by a speeder. He spoke against a bill to fit repeat speeders’ cars with limiters. He called enforcement excessive. Mourners demanded action. The street remains deadly.

On March 31, 2025, Assembly Member Michael Novakhov publicly opposed a state bill requiring speed-limiting devices for cars owned by repeat speeders. The statement came at the funeral for Natasha Saada and her children, killed by a speeding driver on Ocean Parkway. Novakhov argued, 'six red-light or speed violations in one year [is] too little,' and claimed, 'any driver can get much more than six.' He also denounced speed cameras, saying, 'we have too many,' and that they punish regular drivers. The bill’s matter summary centers on requiring devices for vehicles with six violations in a year. Community members and advocates at the funeral demanded stronger accountability and cited the area’s deadly history. Other local politicians, including Kalman Yeger and Simcha Felder, have also opposed speed safety measures. The Department of Transportation has not recommended major changes to Ocean Parkway, despite ongoing danger.

• Local Pol Novakhov Appears to Defends Reckless Driving at Funeral of Mother and Two Kids Killed by Speeder, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-31

Mar 31 - A mother and two daughters died on Ocean Parkway. The driver sped through a red light, striking them in the crosswalk. A young son clings to life. The car hit another vehicle first. The driver’s license was suspended.

According to NY Daily News (2025-03-31), Miriam Yarimi drove about 50 mph—twice the speed limit—when she struck Natasha Saada and her three children in a Brooklyn crosswalk. The article states, 'Yarimi allegedly careened into them on Saturday.' Video shows the Saada family crossing with the light as Yarimi’s Audi 'blasts through the intersection, slamming into the back of the Camry and ramming the mother and her children.' Yarimi’s license was suspended for an insurance lapse. Police are seeking data from her car to confirm speed and braking. No alcohol or drugs were suspected. Yarimi faces charges including manslaughter, reckless driving, and failure to yield. The crash highlights the lethal risk of speeding and unlicensed driving on city streets.

• Speeding Driver Kills Brooklyn Family, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-31

Mar 30 - A driver on a suspended license slammed into a family crossing Ocean Parkway. Three died: a mother, two daughters. A young son fights for life. Nine struck. The Audi had a record: dozens of violations, thousands in fines. Impact was swift, final.

According to the New York Post (March 30, 2025), Miriam Yarimi faces manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges after her Audi A4, driven on a suspended license, struck nine pedestrians in a Brooklyn crosswalk. The crash killed Natasha Saada and her daughters, ages 7 and 5, and left her 4-year-old son in critical condition. Police say Yarimi's car, with over 93 traffic violations and more than $10,000 in fines, collided with another vehicle before plowing into the victims. Mayor Eric Adams called for a full investigation, stating the tragedy demands answers. The case highlights the dangers of repeat traffic offenders and raises questions about enforcement and policy gaps that allow high-risk drivers to remain on city streets.

• Brooklyn Crash Kills Mother, Children, New York Post, Published 2025-03-30

Mar 29 - A sedan tore through the red at Ocean Parkway. A mother and her children crossed with the signal. Metal struck flesh. Three lives ended on the crosswalk. One child, four, left broken and silent. Brooklyn pavement bore the weight of loss.

According to the police report, a sedan driven by an unlicensed woman ran a red light at Ocean Parkway near Quentin Road in Brooklyn. The report states that a mother and her three children were crossing in the crosswalk with the pedestrian signal when the vehicle struck them. The impact killed the 34-year-old woman and two of her children, ages five and eight. A four-year-old boy was left unconscious and severely injured. The police report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors for the driver. The pedestrians were crossing with the signal, as documented in the report. The sedan's center front end struck the victims, underscoring the lethal consequences of ignoring traffic controls. The driver’s unlicensed status and disregard for the signal are central to this tragedy.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4801962 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-06

Jan 5 - A moped plowed into a young man crossing Avenue P with the signal. Metal crushed flesh. Blood pooled. Deep cuts split his legs. He stayed conscious as the driver failed to yield. The street froze in the aftermath.

A 20-year-old man was struck by a moped while crossing Avenue P near McDonald Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the pedestrian was 'crossing with the signal' at the intersection when the moped, traveling straight ahead, hit him with its center front end. The report states the driver committed 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The impact crushed the pedestrian’s legs, causing severe lacerations and leaving him conscious but bleeding in the street. The police narrative describes blood pooling and deep cuts. No contributing factors are attributed to the pedestrian; the report places responsibility on the moped driver’s failure to yield and inattention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4783927 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-06