Blood on New Utrecht: Chang Blocks Safety, Neighbors Pay the Price

Apr 26 - A fire in Sunset Park forced out two families. E-bike batteries sparked it. Council Member Gutiérrez called for a city taskforce and safe charging stations. Lawmakers want stricter rules. Lithium-ion fires have killed, maimed, and displaced hundreds. The danger grows.

On April 26, 2023, the City Council Transportation Committee held a hearing on lithium-ion battery regulation and e-bike safety. Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, District 34, proposed a taskforce to study citywide e-bike charging stations, saying, 'E-bikes are here to stay.' She urged the city to 'keep New Yorkers safe' with exclusive charging points for delivery riders. The matter, titled 'Fire at Sunset Park e-bike store displaces 2 families as pols fight to regulate lithium-ion batteries,' highlights a deadly pattern: over 400 fires, 300 injuries, and 12 deaths from e-bike batteries in four years. The bill has no set vote date. Federal lawmakers also introduced the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act to regulate battery safety. The push aims to curb fires, protect homes, and shield vulnerable New Yorkers from battery explosions.

• Fire at Sunset Park e-bike store displaces 2 families as pols fight to regulate lithium-ion batteries, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-04-26

Mar 20 - A sedan ran the light on 18th Avenue. The driver, unlicensed, struck a 65-year-old woman crossing with the signal. Both died. Blood on the street. Traffic control disregarded. Daylight crash. System failed the vulnerable.

A 65-year-old woman was killed while crossing 18th Avenue at 64th Street in Brooklyn. She had the signal. A sedan, driven by an unlicensed 51-year-old man, ignored the traffic control and struck her. Both the pedestrian and the driver died from their injuries. According to the police report, 'A sedan tore through. The unlicensed driver, 51, struck her. Both died. Blood on pavement. Signal ignored.' The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the primary contributing factor. The driver’s lack of a valid license is also documented. The crash highlights the lethal consequences when drivers ignore signals and operate vehicles without proper licensing.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4614333 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 26 - A southbound SUV turned right on 16th Avenue. Its bumper hit a 46-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She fell. Blood pooled. Her leg was torn open. She stood, dazed, under the cold streetlight.

A 46-year-old woman was struck by a southbound SUV making a right turn on 16th Avenue. According to the police report, 'Its bumper struck a 46-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She fell. Blood pooled. Her leg torn open. She stood, dazed, in the cold streetlight.' The woman suffered severe lacerations to her knee and lower leg. She was crossing at the intersection with the signal when the crash occurred. The driver was operating a 2007 SUV and was making a right turn at the time of impact. The police report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4600996 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 12 - A 33-year-old e-bike rider hit a parked SUV on 65th Street. Blood streaked his face. He lay semiconscious under the streetlight. Flesh torn, metal bent. The street fell silent after the crash.

A 33-year-old man riding an e-bike crashed into the rear of a parked SUV near 65th Street and 14th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the rider was found semiconscious with severe facial lacerations. The e-bike’s front end was mangled from the impact. The SUV was unoccupied and parked at the time of the crash. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No other injuries were reported. The scene was marked by blood, torn flesh, and silence after the collision. The police report notes the rider was not wearing a helmet.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4597373 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 7 - A Honda SUV turned left at 7th Avenue and 57th Street. The bumper struck an 8-year-old girl crossing with the signal. She suffered crush injuries. Two other pedestrians, including a 6-year-old, were also hit. All were conscious. The driver failed to yield.

At the corner of 7th Avenue and 57th Street in Brooklyn, a 2022 Honda SUV made a left turn and struck three pedestrians. According to the police report, the SUV's left front bumper hit an 8-year-old girl who was crossing with the signal. She suffered crush injuries to her entire body but remained conscious. A 6-year-old girl was also hit, sustaining facial fractures and dislocations. A 36-year-old woman suffered injuries to her shoulder and upper arm. All three pedestrians were crossing with the signal at the intersection. The police report states: 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The driver, a 41-year-old man, was licensed and remained uninjured. The crash highlights the danger when drivers fail to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4579863 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 2 - A Honda SUV turned left on 19th Avenue. Its view was blocked. The bumper caught a 23-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She fell. Blood pooled. She did not move again. The street held her stillness.

A 23-year-old woman was struck by a Honda SUV while crossing 19th Avenue with the signal. According to the police report, the SUV turned left with its view obstructed. The left front bumper hit her hip. She fell and suffered apparent death at the scene. The report lists 'View Obstructed/Limited' as the contributing factor for the driver. The woman was crossing legally at the intersection. No other contributing factors are listed in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4578412 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 24 - An 86-year-old woman crossed Bay Ridge Parkway with the signal. A sedan turned left and hit her. Blood pooled on the street. She stayed conscious, head bleeding. The driver was distracted. The car showed no damage. The street bore the mark.

An 86-year-old woman was struck while crossing Bay Ridge Parkway at 12th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, she was crossing with the signal when a sedan, making a left turn, hit her. She suffered a head injury with severe bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. The report states, 'The driver was distracted.' Contributing factors listed include 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The sedan sustained no damage. The data shows the pedestrian was following the signal at the intersection. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The crash left blood on the street, marking another day of danger for those on foot.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4575754 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 20 - A young man on a Hover-1 scooter crossed 18th Avenue. A Kia sedan struck him. He flew from the scooter. His head hit hard. He did not wake up. The view was blocked. The street claimed another life.

A 21-year-old man riding a Hover-1 e-scooter was killed at the intersection of 18th Avenue and 74th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the southbound Kia sedan hit the scooter rider, ejecting him and causing fatal head injuries. The report states, “The view was blocked.” All listed contributing factors are 'View Obstructed/Limited.' The data shows no other driver errors. The scooter rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the primary factor of obstructed view. No injuries were reported for the sedan occupants. The crash highlights the lethal risk when sightlines are blocked on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4558100 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 30 - A diesel truck ran over a 57-year-old woman on a Hiboy e-scooter on Fort Hamilton Parkway. The truck did not stop. Her helmet shattered. She died in the street. The city heat pressed down. The driver kept going. No one else was hurt.

A 57-year-old woman riding a Hiboy e-scooter was struck and killed by a northbound diesel tractor truck on Fort Hamilton Parkway near 60th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'Her helmet lay shattered. The truck did not stop. She died there, crushed, in the summer heat.' The truck driver fled the scene, leaving the woman dead from crush injuries to the head. The crash involved a diesel truck, a sedan, and the e-scooter, but only the e-scooter rider was killed. The police report lists 'Other Vehicular' as a contributing factor. The data notes the helmet only after the driver’s actions. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4542311 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 16 - A Ford pickup turned left at 19th Avenue and 79th Street. The driver struck a 64-year-old man crossing with the signal. Blood ran from his head. He stayed conscious. The truck’s front end hit him. He was badly hurt.

A Ford pickup truck, driven by a 55-year-old woman, made a left turn at the corner of 19th Avenue and 79th Street in Brooklyn. The truck struck a 64-year-old man who was crossing the intersection with the signal. According to the police report, the pedestrian suffered a head injury and severe bleeding but remained conscious. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The point of impact was the truck’s center front end. The pedestrian was following the signal at the time of the crash. No helmet or signaling issues are noted for the pedestrian. The driver was licensed and remained at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4538226 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 15 - A motorcycle struck a sedan on 51st Street. The rider flew from his seat, helmet cracked, blood pooling on the pavement. Both drivers injured. Traffic control ignored. The bike lay twisted under the streetlight. The night was cold and silent.

A motorcycle and a sedan collided on 51st Street near 6th Avenue in Brooklyn. The 28-year-old motorcycle rider was ejected, suffering a head injury and severe bleeding. According to the police report, 'Traffic Control Disregarded' was a contributing factor for both drivers. The sedan driver, 27, was also injured and in shock. The motorcycle was demolished. The report notes the rider's helmet cracked during the crash, but the primary cause listed is failure to obey traffic controls. No pedestrians were involved. The crash left both vehicles damaged and both drivers hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4510626 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 4 - An unlicensed e-bike rider ran the light at 19th Avenue and 76th Street. He struck two people crossing with the signal. One woman died from a head injury. Another man was hurt. The street fell silent. The driver did not stop.

A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 19th Avenue and 76th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, an unlicensed man on an e-bike ran a red light and struck two pedestrians who were crossing with the signal. The e-bike hit a 43-year-old woman in the head, killing her. A 45-year-old man suffered injuries to his arm. The police report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The e-bike driver was unlicensed and wore no safety equipment. The report does not mention any errors by the pedestrians. The impact left one dead and another injured, underscoring the danger when drivers ignore signals.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4507537 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 25 - A Ford convertible struck a 60-year-old man on an e-bike at 19th Avenue and 71st Street. His head bled onto the street. The car’s bumper cracked. The bike’s side tore open. He stayed conscious. Driver inattention and traffic control ignored.

A Ford convertible hit a 60-year-old man riding an e-bike at the corner of 19th Avenue and 71st Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the crash left the cyclist bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The e-bike’s right side was torn open and the car’s bumper was cracked. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes were driver errors. No other serious injuries were reported among vehicle occupants. The street bore the mark of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4506210 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - A car hit a young man on 65th Street. He stepped from behind a parked car. His head split. Blood pooled. He drifted in and out. The street kept moving. The driver kept going straight. The man lay broken on the cold pavement.

A 20-year-old man was struck by a westbound vehicle on 65th Street near 20th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A young man stepped from behind a parked car. A westbound vehicle struck him. Blood pooled on the pavement. His head split. He drifted in and out.' The pedestrian suffered a severe head injury and was semiconscious at the scene, bleeding heavily. The report lists no driver errors or contributing factors. The driver was traveling straight ahead. The pedestrian was not at an intersection and emerged from behind a parked vehicle. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4503107 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19