Twelve Dead, No Answers: Who Will Stop the Killing in AD 77?

A sedan hit a man on Jerome Avenue. The crash left him bleeding, his leg torn. The driver passed too close. The street was dark. The city failed to protect him. Metal met flesh. The wound remains.

A 40-year-old man walking on Jerome Avenue in the Bronx was struck by a sedan. According to the police report, the pedestrian was not at an intersection and suffered severe bleeding to his lower leg and foot. The driver, a 48-year-old man, was traveling straight ahead in a 2021 Mitsubishi sedan. Police listed 'Passing Too Closely' as a contributing factor. The report also notes 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion.' The vehicle showed no damage, but the pedestrian was left injured and conscious at the scene. The crash highlights the danger faced by people on foot along busy Bronx corridors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816344, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

An Audi SUV veered north on Jerome Ave, the driver’s attention stolen by something outside. The right front slammed, metal buckled, airbag burst. A 32-year-old man, head bloodied, remained conscious—crushed beneath the weight of distraction.

According to the police report, a 32-year-old male driver of an Audi SUV was injured while traveling north on Jerome Ave near E 172 St in the Bronx. The crash occurred at 12:49 a.m. The report states the SUV veered off course after the driver was distracted by something outside the car, a factor explicitly listed as 'Outside Car Distraction.' The vehicle’s right front bumper took the impact, and the airbag deployed. The driver suffered head injuries and crush injuries but remained conscious at the scene. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The incident underscores the danger posed when drivers’ attention is diverted from the road.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4796290, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A parked pickup truck struck a 56-year-old cyclist on W Tremont Avenue. The man flew, helmet cracked, hand severed. Blood pooled on the street. The truck never moved, but the cyclist’s life changed in an instant.

According to the police report, a 56-year-old man was riding his bicycle southbound on W Tremont Avenue at University Avenue in the Bronx when a parked pickup truck struck him. The narrative states, 'A 56-year-old man pedaled south. A parked pickup struck. He flew. His helmet cracked. His hand did not follow. Blood on the street. The truck never moved. But his life did.' The cyclist suffered an amputation injury to his hand and was ejected from his bike. The report lists the pickup truck as parked at the time of the crash, with the point of impact and vehicle damage noted at the center front end. The cyclist was wearing a helmet, which cracked on impact. Contributing factors are listed as 'Unspecified.' The police report does not cite any victim behavior as contributing to the crash. The focus remains on the parked vehicle’s involvement and the catastrophic outcome for the cyclist.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774978, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A parked Ford van on Jerome Avenue was struck with violent force. The front passenger, age 39, suffered a shattered shoulder. Metal screamed. Flesh gave. The lap belt held him. The street stayed silent after the impact.

According to the police report, a parked 2012 Ford van was struck hard on Jerome Avenue in mid-afternoon. The collision left the front passenger, a 39-year-old man, with severe crush injuries to his shoulder and upper arm. The report states the van was stationary ('Parked') when it was hit, and the impact targeted the right front quarter panel. The narrative describes the violence of the crash: 'The front passenger, 39, crushed in his seat. His shoulder shattered. The lap belt held. Metal screamed. Flesh gave.' No driver errors or contributing factors are listed in the police data. The focus remains on the devastating outcome for the passenger, who was restrained by a lap belt but still suffered grave injuries. The report does not cite any passenger actions as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766037, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A baby boy, alone in darkness, was struck and killed by an unlicensed SUV driver on the Major Deegan Expressway. The driver did not stop. The child died far from any crosswalk, crushed beneath the left front bumper.

A baby boy was killed on the Major Deegan Expressway when he was struck by the left front bumper of a 2008 Toyota SUV, according to the police report. The report states the child was crossing alone in the dark, far from any crosswalk, when the unlicensed driver hit him and did not stop. The police describe the child as suffering crush injuries to his entire body and dying at the scene. The driver’s license status is listed as 'Unlicensed' in the report, and the vehicle was traveling straight ahead. The police narrative makes clear the driver left the scene. No contributing factors are specified beyond the unlicensed status and failure to remain. The focus remains on the actions of the driver and the systemic danger posed by unlicensed, hit-and-run motorists on high-speed roadways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752519, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 13-year-old boy bled in the Bronx night, struck head-on by a speeding SUV. His arm split open. He stayed conscious, pain echoing down Undercliff Avenue. Steel met flesh. The street bore witness. The driver’s speed left no room for mercy.

A 13-year-old pedestrian was struck by a Station Wagon/Sport Utility Vehicle on Undercliff Avenue near 1501 in the Bronx at 10:40 p.m., according to the police report. The report states the boy was crossing the street outside a crosswalk and without a signal when the SUV, traveling at an unsafe speed, hit him head-on. The impact caused severe bleeding from his arm, but he remained conscious at the scene. Police explicitly cite 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor for the crash. The driver was traveling straight ahead when the collision occurred, and the vehicle’s center front end struck the boy. The police report does not list any pedestrian actions as contributing factors, focusing solely on the driver’s unsafe speed. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of excessive speed on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750128, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man crossed the Major Deegan alone at night. A southbound Toyota struck him with its right front bumper. His head broke. His limbs twisted. No crosswalk. No signal. Only silence and steel remained.

A 35-year-old man was killed while crossing the Major Deegan Expressway in the early morning hours, according to the police report. The report states that a southbound Toyota sedan struck the pedestrian with its right front bumper. The narrative details, 'His head broke. His limbs twisted. No crosswalk. No signal. Just silence and steel.' The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was crossing where there was no signal or crosswalk, as documented in the police report. The contributing factors for both the driver and the pedestrian are listed as 'Unspecified.' The focus remains on the impact and the lethal danger present on this high-speed roadway, where a single misstep or moment of inattention can result in fatal consequences for those outside a vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4730009, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A moped crashed into a turning Mercedes at East 169th and Morris. The rider, 20, unlicensed, suffered a torn leg. Blood pooled by the curb. The police report cites traffic control disregarded. The night stayed silent after impact.

According to the police report, a moped and a Mercedes SUV collided at the corner of East 169th Street and Morris Avenue in the Bronx at 12:32 a.m. The moped, traveling west, struck the left side doors of the Mercedes as it made a left turn. The report states, 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the contributing factor. The narrative describes the moped rider, a 20-year-old man, suffering severe lacerations to his leg, with blood pooling near the curb. The report notes the light was red at the time of the crash. The moped rider was unlicensed. The focus remains on the disregard for traffic control devices, as cited in the official account, which led to the violent collision and serious injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4730878, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Nissan SUV slammed head-on into stillness on Jerome Avenue. The driver, alone, drifted asleep and never woke. Smoke curled above the wreck. No other lives touched. The morning street bore witness to a solitary fatal mistake.

According to the police report, a 27-year-old man driving a Nissan SUV on Jerome Avenue near 1709 lost control of his vehicle after he 'fell asleep at the wheel.' The SUV struck head-on, resulting in the driver’s death. The report states the crash occurred in the early morning, with the street described as 'still' and 'nothing moved but the smoke.' The only person involved was the driver, who died alone in the vehicle. The police report explicitly lists 'Fell Asleep' as the contributing factor, underscoring the critical role of driver inattention and fatigue in this fatal incident. No other vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists were involved or harmed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4724137, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 28-year-old man riding north on Webster Avenue was thrown from his Harley and crushed. Helmeted, he lay in shock as the street claimed him. No other driver stopped. The Bronx pavement bore witness to another body broken by speed and steel.

According to the police report, a 28-year-old man was riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle northbound on Webster Avenue near East 167th Street at 4:05 a.m. when he struck the right front of an unspecified object or vehicle. The report states he was 'thrown from the bike. Helmeted. Crushed.' The man suffered crush injuries to his entire body and was found in shock. The narrative notes, 'No other driver stopped.' The police report does not list any contributing factors or driver errors, nor does it mention any actions by other vehicles or pedestrians. The only detail about the rider’s behavior is that he was wearing a helmet, as recorded in the report. The crash left the rider ejected and gravely injured, underscoring the lethal risks faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4722666, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 71-year-old woman, crossing Jerome Avenue with the signal, was struck and left bleeding in the crosswalk. The driver vanished. Blood marked the intersection. No name, no car, only the echo of impact and silence.

According to the police report, a 71-year-old woman was crossing Jerome Avenue at East Burnside Avenue in the Bronx, using the crosswalk and following the signal, when she was struck by a vehicle. The report states she was found unconscious, suffering severe lacerations and injuries to her entire body. The driver did not remain at the scene; the vehicle and its operator vanished, leaving no identifying information. The narrative notes: 'A 71-year-old woman lay unconscious in the crosswalk, blood on the pavement, body torn. She crossed with the signal. A vehicle struck her and vanished.' The police report does not list any contributing factors for the driver, but the act of fleeing the scene after striking a pedestrian in a crosswalk underscores the systemic danger faced by vulnerable road users. The victim’s compliance with the crossing signal is noted only after the driver’s failure to remain at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4705544, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Chevy SUV barreled into a freight truck on the Cross Bronx Expressway. The driver, unbelted and distracted, died alone at the scene. The truck slowed; the SUV did not. Metal, glass, and blood marked the highway’s edge.

According to the police report, a Chevy SUV traveling eastbound on the Cross Bronx Expressway crashed straight into the rear of a slowing freight truck. The sole occupant, a 38-year-old male driver, suffered fatal head injuries and internal bleeding, dying at the scene. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The SUV struck the truck's center rear while the truck was slowing or stopping. No other injuries were reported. The police narrative states, 'A Chevy SUV drove straight into a slowing freight truck. The driver, 38, unbelted, struck his head. Internal bleeding. No one else in the car. He died there, alone, before the lights came.' The data highlights driver distraction as the critical factor in this deadly collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4702972, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A car turned left at Walton Avenue and East 171st Street. The driver struck an 18-year-old woman crossing with the signal. Blood pooled in the crosswalk. She stayed conscious, face injured. The driver failed to yield. The street stayed wet and silent.

An 18-year-old woman was struck by a car while crossing Walton Avenue at East 171st Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the driver made a left turn and hit her in the face as she crossed with the signal. The report states, 'Blood spilled in the crosswalk. She stayed conscious. The driver did not yield.' The listed contributing factor is 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The woman suffered severe bleeding to her face but remained conscious at the scene. No other contributing factors were cited. The data does not specify the vehicle type or details about the driver. The crash underscores the danger faced by pedestrians even when they have the signal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4686783, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

An unlicensed teen on a motorcycle slammed into an SUV on the Cross Bronx Expressway. He flew from the bike and died on the asphalt. His helmet stayed on. Three other vehicles kept moving. The crash left one dead and a city unchanged.

An 18-year-old unlicensed male motorcyclist was killed after striking the left rear bumper of a Honda SUV on the Cross Bronx Expressway. According to the police report, 'An unlicensed 18-year-old on a motorcycle hit a Honda SUV at speed, flew from the bike, and died on the asphalt. His helmet stayed on. Three other vehicles kept going. His body did not.' The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. The motorcyclist was ejected from his bike and suffered fatal injuries to his entire body. The data notes that his helmet remained on, but no helmet use is listed as a contributing factor. No injuries were reported for the occupants of the SUV or the other vehicles involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4684769, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Toyota SUV struck a man crossing Jerome Avenue. The driver looked away. The SUV’s front end crumpled. The man’s face bled, torn open. He stayed conscious in the Bronx night. Distraction behind the wheel left flesh and metal wrecked.

A 2018 Toyota SUV, heading south on Jerome Avenue near 196th Street, hit a 38-year-old man in the intersection. According to the police report, the pedestrian suffered severe lacerations to his face but remained conscious at the scene. The SUV’s front end was dented. The report states, “The driver had looked away.” The listed contributing factor is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' No other contributing factors from the pedestrian are cited. The crash highlights the danger posed when drivers lose focus, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4684371, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A BMW slammed into a Toyota’s rear on the Major Deegan. Metal tore. A 36-year-old man in the Toyota bled from the head. He stayed conscious. The harness held. His skin split where steel did not. Blood on the expressway. Sirens followed.

A crash on the Major Deegan Expressway left a 36-year-old man injured. According to the police report, a BMW struck the rear of a Toyota. The impact crumpled metal and split skin. The Toyota’s driver, belted in, suffered severe head lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' The BMW’s front hit the Toyota’s back. Both vehicles were moving straight ahead. The man’s harness held him in place, but the force cut deep. No other injuries were reported. The report does not specify further driver errors or contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4678001, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan and moped collided head-on at Webster Avenue and East 168th. The impact threw a 32-year-old woman from the moped. She landed hard, her leg torn open, blood pooling on the asphalt. No helmet. She screamed into the night.

A crash at Webster Avenue and East 168th Street in the Bronx left a 32-year-old moped passenger severely injured. According to the police report, a moped turned right and a sedan turned left, colliding head-on. The woman, riding on the moped, was ejected and suffered a serious leg injury with severe bleeding. The report notes she wore no helmet. Both drivers' actions are listed as 'Unspecified' in contributing factors, with no further detail on specific driver errors. The violence of the crash and the lack of protection for the moped passenger led to grave harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4688701, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A moped sped west on East 168th. The rider, unlicensed and helmetless, crashed hard. He flew from the seat, head smashing pavement. Blood pooled. Sirens cut the dark. Aggression and speed left a man broken in the Bronx.

A 28-year-old moped rider was severely injured at East 168th Street and Sheridan Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, the rider was unlicensed and wore no helmet. He lost control, was ejected, and struck his head, suffering severe bleeding and semiconsciousness. The report lists 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The moped was traveling west when the crash occurred. No other vehicles or people were involved. The crash highlights the dangers of aggressive driving and high speed. Helmet use is noted only because the police report lists 'None' under safety equipment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4672277, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A lone SUV veered south on Major Deegan. The driver slammed the dash. No seatbelt. Chest crushed. He died before dawn. The road stayed silent. Metal and flesh, broken by a sudden move.

A 28-year-old man died after crashing his 2002 Honda SUV on the Major Deegan Expressway. According to the police report, the SUV swerved south at 2:14 a.m. in reaction to an uninvolved vehicle. The driver, alone in the car, was not wearing a seatbelt. He struck the dashboard and suffered fatal chest injuries. The police listed 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as the contributing factor. No other people were involved. The report notes the absence of safety equipment only after citing the driver’s reaction as the primary cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4655277, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man on a motorcycle hit an SUV mid-turn on Jerome Avenue. He flew from the bike. His head struck the pavement. He died at the scene. Unsafe speed and improper turning marked the crash. The street fell silent.

A 35-year-old man riding a motorcycle was killed after colliding with an SUV making a U-turn on Jerome Avenue. According to the police report, the crash involved unsafe speed and turning improperly. The motorcyclist, who was unlicensed and not wearing a helmet, was ejected from his bike and suffered fatal head injuries. The SUV's right front bumper was struck as it turned. Parked cars lined the street, but no other injuries were reported. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. Helmet use is noted only because it appears in the data after driver errors. The crash left one man dead and a community shaken.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4653345, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14