Blood on the Asphalt: Epstein’s Missed Votes, Unforgiven Streets

A drunk driver tore through Gramercy. He struck Abdulhekim Esiyok in the crosswalk. Bars kept pouring drinks for the driver. Blood alcohol soared. Esiyok died at Bellevue. The driver hit more people before stopping. The city’s system failed again.

According to the New York Post (2025-06-07), Abdulhekim Esiyok, a 23-year-old Turkish immigrant, was killed while crossing Third Avenue after Mahbub Ali, allegedly intoxicated, drove into him. Prosecutors say Ali drank for nearly six hours at three Manhattan bars, reaching a blood alcohol content of .158, almost twice the legal limit. After hitting Esiyok, Ali continued, injuring a cyclist, two more pedestrians, and crashing into a van. The family’s lawsuit cites New York’s Dram Shop Act, which holds bars liable for serving visibly drunk patrons who later cause harm. The article quotes the family’s lawyer: “The family is devastated. They’re still in disbelief.” The case highlights failures in both driver responsibility and alcohol-serving oversight.

• Drunk Driver Kills Immigrant Pedestrian in Manhattan, New York Post, Published 2025-06-07

A cyclist suffered crush injuries to his leg at E 23rd Street and 3rd Avenue. Two cars and a bike collided. The cyclist wore a helmet. Police cited confusion as a factor. The street saw pain and metal. The system failed to protect the vulnerable.

A crash on E 23rd Street at 3rd Avenue in Manhattan left a 61-year-old male cyclist injured with crush injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. According to the police report, a convertible, a pick-up truck, and a bicycle were involved. The cyclist was conscious and wore a helmet. The police report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. No driver-specific errors were cited in the data. Other vehicle occupants reported unspecified injuries. The crash underscores the risks faced by cyclists on city streets, where even routine turns can end in harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816863, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A cyclist slammed into the back of a parked USPS truck on 2nd Avenue. The rider, 25, took the blow to the head. Blood ran. Unsafe speed played a role. The truck stood still. The street did not forgive.

A 25-year-old cyclist was injured after crashing into the rear of a parked USPS truck at 579 2nd Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the cyclist suffered severe lacerations to the head and was conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor in the crash. The USPS truck was parked and sustained no damage, while the bike's front end was damaged. No other persons were involved. The police report does not specify if safety equipment was used. The data highlights unsafe speed as the key driver error in this collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812789, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A taxi turned left at First Avenue and East 22nd. Metal slammed into a woman crossing with the signal. Her body broke across the front end. Blood pooled on the asphalt. The driver remained seated. She left torn, bleeding, and in shock.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling north on 1st Avenue made a left turn at East 22nd Street and struck a 31-year-old woman who was crossing the intersection with the signal. The report states, 'Metal struck flesh. Her body broke across the front end. Blood on the asphalt.' The pedestrian suffered severe lacerations and injuries to her entire body, leaving the scene in shock. The driver, identified as licensed and operating a 2017 Toyota taxi, remained seated after the impact. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor, underscoring the driver's responsibility in the collision. The report also cites 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor, but the woman was documented as crossing with the signal at the intersection. The impact point and vehicle damage were both at the center front end, consistent with a left-turn strike.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808952, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A pickup truck’s bumper caught an 87-year-old woman crossing Avenue C. She fell. Blood pooled on East 6th Street. The driver, unbelted, kept turning. The city’s streets remain hostile to its oldest walkers.

According to the police report, a pickup truck made a left turn at the corner of East 6th Street and Avenue C in Manhattan. Its left front bumper struck an 87-year-old woman who was crossing the intersection. The impact knocked her to the ground, causing severe head lacerations and visible bleeding. The report notes the driver, a 65-year-old man, was not wearing a seatbelt at the time. The pedestrian was listed as 'crossing against signal,' but the police report does not cite any specific driver error or contributing factor beyond the vehicle’s turning movement. The incident underscores the lethal consequences of turning vehicles at intersections, especially for elderly pedestrians. No vehicle damage was reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806893, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Transit advocates and officials rallied at Grand Central. They demanded Governor Hochul fill a $33 billion gap in the MTA capital plan. Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal called transit vital for the region. Advocates stressed accessibility and equity. The state’s budget leaves riders exposed.

On February 2, 2025, State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal joined transit advocates at Grand Central Terminal to push for full funding of the MTA’s 2025-2029 capital plan. The rally targeted Governor Hochul’s $252 billion budget, which omits $33 billion needed for transit upgrades. The event, covered by amny.com, highlighted the matter: 'NYC transit advocates urge Hochul to fully fund MTA Capital Plan with guaranteed state budget revenue.' Hoylman-Sigal said, 'This is about the economic engine for the entire region.' Assembly Member Tony Simone and others demanded investment in transportation deserts and accessible stations. Advocates cited the MTA’s ADA settlement, noting only a quarter of stations are wheelchair-accessible, with the fewest in low-income areas. The rally underscored that without full funding, vulnerable riders—especially those with disabilities—face continued barriers and danger.

• NYC transit advocates urge Hochul to fully fund MTA Capital Plan with guaranteed state budget revenue, amny.com, Published 2025-02-02

Glass burst at E 34th and 1st. A convertible struck a sedan’s rear. A young woman, seatbelted, bled from the face. Police flagged alcohol and traffic control disregard. The city’s night offered no mercy.

A crash at the corner of East 34th Street and 1st Avenue left a 22-year-old woman with severe facial lacerations, according to the police report. The incident involved a convertible traveling north striking the right rear bumper of a westbound sedan. The police report states, 'Alcohol Involvement' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The woman, riding as a front passenger and secured by a lap belt and harness, was injured when the convertible hit the sedan, shattering glass. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on driver actions: alcohol use and failure to obey traffic controls. The crash, late at night, underscores the ongoing danger posed by reckless driving and systemic failures on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4786302, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A box truck turned left at 2nd Avenue and East 45th. The driver, unlicensed, struck an 83-year-old woman crossing with the light. Her legs were crushed. She lay unconscious on the street. The truck showed no damage. The city’s danger persists.

At the corner of 2nd Avenue and East 45th Street in Manhattan, a box truck making a left turn struck an 83-year-old woman who was crossing with the signal. According to the police report, the pedestrian’s legs were crushed and she was found unconscious at the scene. The report states the driver of the box truck had no license. The truck, registered in New Jersey, bore no visible damage after the collision. The police narrative confirms the woman was crossing with the light, placing the responsibility on the driver’s actions. The data highlights the systemic danger posed by unlicensed drivers operating large vehicles in dense urban intersections. No driver errors beyond the lack of a license are specified in the report, and no victim behaviors are listed as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769464, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A bicycle, racing west on East 31st, slammed into a six-year-old girl crossing with the signal. Her head hit pavement. Blood pooled. She stayed conscious, bleeding, as the city roared around her.

According to the police report, a bicycle traveling west on East 31st Street near Madison Avenue struck a six-year-old girl in the crosswalk. The report states she was 'crossing with the signal' when the collision occurred. The cyclist was cited for 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. The narrative details that the girl's head struck the pavement and she suffered severe bleeding but remained conscious. The police report makes no mention of any victim behavior contributing to the crash. The data centers the cyclist's excessive speed as the primary cause, underscoring the dangers posed by reckless riding even on non-motorized vehicles. The incident highlights the vulnerability of pedestrians, especially children, in city crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4764628, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A cyclist cut through Gramercy dusk and struck a man crossing with the light. Blood spilled on the crosswalk. The rider looked away. The man did not. Flesh torn, arm gashed, the city kept moving.

A man crossing Gramercy Park South and 17th Street with the signal was struck by a cyclist, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 5:10 p.m. The report states the cyclist was traveling east and hit the pedestrian’s arm with the front wheel, causing severe lacerations. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The narrative details: 'A man stepped into the crosswalk, light in his favor. A bike cut through the dusk. Its front wheel struck his arm. Skin tore. Blood spilled.' The pedestrian, age 38, suffered injuries to the elbow and lower arm and remained conscious at the scene. The police report explicitly notes the pedestrian was 'Crossing With Signal.' The focus remains on the cyclist’s failure to yield and inattention, which led to the injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766079, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Jeep struck a northbound Vespa on East 26th near FDR. The rider, 28, was ejected, his leg crushed. He lay helmeted, conscious, on the pavement. Right bumper met scooter’s front. Failure to yield left blood and metal on the street.

According to the police report, a Jeep traveling on East 26th Street near FDR Drive collided with a northbound Vespa. The crash occurred at 17:27. The report states, 'A Jeep struck a northbound Vespa. The rider, 28, was ejected. His leg crushed. He lay conscious, helmeted, on the pavement. Right bumper met scooter’s front quarter. Failure to yield.' The Vespa rider suffered crush injuries to his lower leg and foot and was ejected from his motorcycle. The police report explicitly lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for the crash. The SUV’s right front bumper struck the Vespa’s front quarter, confirming the impact location. The Vespa rider was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but helmet use is not cited as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the Jeep driver’s failure to yield, which led directly to the violent collision and resulting injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4759157, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A cyclist tore up 3rd Avenue, speed unchecked. He flew from his bike, face smashing hard on East 24th’s pavement. Blood pooled. The night held its breath. He lay semiconscious, helmetless, broken and still.

A 28-year-old cyclist suffered severe facial injuries after crashing on 3rd Avenue at East 24th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the cyclist was traveling north when he struck at high speed, his bike’s front end crushed. The report lists 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors, with additional mention of 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The cyclist was ejected from the bike, landing face-first on the pavement, and was found semiconscious and bleeding. No helmet was worn, as noted in the police report, but the primary causes cited are the rider’s aggressive actions and unsafe velocity. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when speed and aggression combine on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4759154, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man’s skull cracked on Park Avenue South. A northbound cyclist struck him head-on and did not stop. Blood pooled on the asphalt. The rider vanished. The city’s traffic violence left another body broken, another story unfinished.

According to the police report, a 39-year-old man was struck by a northbound cyclist near 287 Park Avenue South, close to 28th Street in Manhattan. The cyclist hit the pedestrian head-on, causing severe head trauma; the victim lay semiconscious on the asphalt with a cracked skull. The cyclist did not remain at the scene and continued riding north. The report notes the pedestrian stepped into the street without a signal, but does not list any driver errors or contributing factors beyond 'Unspecified.' The critical driver error highlighted is the cyclist's failure to stop after the crash, as detailed: 'The rider did not stop. The bike rode on.' This incident underscores the persistent dangers faced by pedestrians on New York City streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4749655, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan struck a man lying on FDR Drive at 3:30 a.m. The driver, distracted, hit him head-on. The man died instantly, his head taking the blow. The road was dark. The driver kept going. Silence followed.

According to the police report, a 59-year-old man was killed on FDR Drive at 3:30 a.m. when a southbound sedan struck him head-on. The report states, 'A man lay in the dark. A southbound sedan struck him head-on. His head took the blow. He died there, still and silent.' The driver was found to be distracted at the time of the crash, with 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' listed as a primary contributing factor. The sedan's center front end took the impact, matching the pedestrian's fatal head injury. The report does not cite any pedestrian actions as contributing factors. The focus remains on the driver's inattention, which led to the fatal collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4746817, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Yamaha motorcycle crashed into a turning bus at Avenue D and East 10th. The rider struck the pavement headfirst. Blood pooled. The signal was there. It was not obeyed. Sirens cut the silence. One man lay unconscious, grievously hurt.

A violent collision unfolded at Avenue D and East 10th in Manhattan when a Yamaha motorcycle, traveling straight, crashed into a bus making a left turn. According to the police report, the crash occurred at 1:39 a.m. and involved a 39-year-old male motorcyclist who suffered severe head injuries and was found unconscious, bleeding heavily. The report explicitly lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, stating, 'The signal was there. It was not obeyed.' The impact was to the center front end of the motorcycle and the left side doors of the bus. The data does not specify which driver disregarded the signal, but the failure to obey traffic control devices stands out as the central cause. The motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet, which is noted in the report after the primary driver error.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738035, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 31-year-old woman died beneath the city’s hush, struck by a northbound SUV on FDR Drive. The driver’s inattention cut her down, leaving her alone in the dark, far from any crosswalk, her life ended by steel and neglect.

A 31-year-old woman was killed when a 2003 Ford SUV, heading north on FDR Drive, struck her with its left front bumper. According to the police report, the collision occurred far from any crosswalk, with the victim crossing the roadway. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The woman suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. The narrative notes she was alone, in the dark, and not at an intersection. The data does not list any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The deadly impact and the cited driver inattention underscore the persistent systemic dangers faced by pedestrians on New York City’s high-speed corridors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4736690, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Albany lawmakers shut down a last-ditch MTA funding plan after Governor Hochul paused congestion pricing. No replacement for the lost $1 billion. Transit riders and street users face uncertainty. Lawmakers call the move reckless. The city waits. Danger lingers.

On June 7, 2024, the New York State legislative session ended without passing a replacement funding plan for the MTA after Governor Kathy Hochul paused congestion pricing. The matter, described as 'Albany pumps the brakes on MTA funding plan in rebuke of Hochul’s move to ditch congestion pricing,' left the MTA without the $1 billion annual revenue congestion pricing would have provided. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins announced the session’s close without a deal. Lawmakers including State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris, State Sen. John Liu, Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, and Assemblyman Tony Simone criticized the governor’s decision and the proposed IOU bailout. Gounardes said, 'I cannot in good conscience ratify a decision that will eliminate a significant, dedicated revenue source for the MTA’s capital plan.' The pause leaves the city’s transit future—and the safety of those who rely on it—uncertain.

• Albany pumps the brakes on MTA funding plan in rebuke of Hochul’s move to ditch congestion pricing, nypost.com, Published 2024-06-07

Council calls for five mile per hour speed cap on Open Streets. The move aims to slow cars where people walk, bike, and gather. Resolution passes. Streets may breathe easier. The city pushes Albany to let it set its own pace.

Resolution 0079-2024, adopted June 6, 2024 by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, urges the State Legislature and Governor to pass S.315/A.1416. The measure would let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets in the Open Streets program. The matter title reads: 'authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program.' Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The committee approved the resolution with strong support. The bill targets streets where pedestrians and cyclists mix with traffic. Lower speeds mean fewer crashes and less severe injuries. The council’s action puts pressure on Albany to give the city the power to protect people where they are most exposed.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

A bus turned right at Avenue D and East 10th. Its rear wheel crushed a man’s skull. Blood spread across the street. The bus rolled on, undamaged. The man, age forty-five, died where he fell. The city’s machinery did not stop.

A 45-year-old man was killed at Avenue D and East 10th Street in Manhattan when a bus making a right turn struck him with its rear wheel, according to the police report. The report states: 'A bus turned right. The rear wheel struck a man’s head. He was 45. Blood pooled on the pavement. The bus showed no damage. He died where he fell.' The pedestrian was at the intersection, engaged in 'other actions in roadway' as described in the report. The vehicle, a 2018 bus, was undamaged and driven by a licensed male driver. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are explicitly cited, but the narrative centers the lethal consequences of a turning bus and the vulnerability of those on foot. No mention of pedestrian behavior as a contributing factor appears in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4708174, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A tow truck swung left on Avenue C. The front end hit a 67-year-old woman standing in the roadway. Her head took the blow. She died beneath the streetlights, another life ended by steel and speed.

According to the police report, a tow truck traveling south on Avenue C turned left onto East 10th Street. During this maneuver, the front of the truck struck a 67-year-old woman who was standing in the roadway at the intersection. The report states, 'The front of the truck struck her. Her head took the blow. She died there, beneath the streetlights and steel.' The pedestrian was killed on impact, suffering fatal head injuries. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian, providing no further detail about specific errors or circumstances. The driver was licensed and operating a 2022 Dodge tow truck. The narrative centers on the lethal consequences of a left turn at a city intersection, with the pedestrian's presence in the roadway noted but not cited as a contributing factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4700486, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14