Who Owns the Streets: Broken Bodies, Broken Promises in District 16

Steel met steel at dawn. The box truck flipped. Three people hurt—two in the ambulance, one in the truck. Sirens wailed. All went to Jacobi. The cause is still a question. The Bronx street stayed dangerous.

ABC7 reported on April 15, 2025, that an ambulance and a box truck collided at Pelham Parkway South and Williamsbridge Road in the Bronx just after 6:30 a.m. The article states, "The box truck overturned in the crash. Three people were hurt: the box truck driver and two ambulance workers." All were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. The cause remains under investigation. The crash highlights risks at busy intersections and the potential for severe outcomes when large vehicles collide. No driver actions have been detailed yet. The incident underscores ongoing safety concerns for workers and drivers on city streets.

• Ambulance, Truck Crash Injures Three Bronx, ABC7, Published 2025-04-15

Council passed a law forcing DOT to post sharp, regular updates on street safety projects. Progress on bike lanes, bus lanes, and signals must go public. No more hiding delays or cost overruns. The city must show its work.

Bill Int 1105-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced November 13, 2024, it passed Council on April 10, 2025, and became law May 10, 2025. The bill's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' Council Member Julie Won led sponsorship, joined by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others. The law demands DOT post annual and monthly updates on every project tied to the master plan—listing details, timelines, funding, and setbacks. This law brings sunlight to street safety work, making the city answer for every mile and missed deadline.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-10

A Mercedes slammed into Darryl Mathis Jr.'s stalled car on the Major Deegan. Mathis called for help, then for an ambulance. The driver fled. Paramedics rushed Mathis to the hospital. He died. The killer behind the wheel vanished into the night.

NY Daily News reported on March 24, 2025, that Darryl Mathis Jr. was killed when a Mercedes-Benz rear-ended his disabled Ford on the Major Deegan Expressway. Mathis, stranded after his battery died, called friends for help. As one friend recounted, 'He called to get a jump, and after that, he got hit from behind, a hit-and-run.' The Mercedes driver fled the scene and has not been caught. Mathis was transported to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died. The crash highlights the dangers faced by stranded motorists on city highways and the deadly consequences when drivers flee. No policy changes or enforcement actions were detailed in the article.

• Hit-And-Run Kills Stranded Bronx Motorist, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-24

A Mercedes plowed into a Ford on the Major Deegan Expressway. The Ford’s driver died at the wheel, his body broken by the impact. Darkness lingered. Police cite driver inattention. The road bore witness to another life lost to distraction.

According to the police report, a Mercedes sedan traveling southbound on the Major Deegan Expressway struck the rear of a 2009 Ford sedan at 3:47 a.m. The Ford’s driver, a 39-year-old man, died at the scene. The report states the Mercedes 'crushed the rear' of the Ford, leaving the victim dead at the wheel with injuries to his entire body. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor in the collision. The Ford was hit in the right rear bumper by the Mercedes’s left front bumper, consistent with a rear-end impact. The victim was unbelted, but the police report does not cite this as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the deadly consequences of driver distraction, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800421 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A black Mercedes slammed into a Ford on the Major Deegan. Both cars spun out. The Mercedes driver ran. The Ford driver died at St. Barnabas. Police closed the highway for hours. No arrests. The city’s roads stay deadly.

NY Daily News reported on March 22, 2025, that a 39-year-old driver was killed after a black Mercedes-Benz rear-ended his Ford Crown Victoria on the Major Deegan Expressway. The article states, “The hit-and-run driver responsible escaped on foot, police said.” Both vehicles lost control and crashed. Emergency services transported the victim to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died. The Mercedes driver fled the scene, and no arrests have been made. Police closed the southbound lanes for several hours during the investigation. The crash highlights the lethal consequences of rear-end collisions and the persistent risk posed by hit-and-run drivers on New York City highways.

• Bronx Highway Hit-And-Run Kills Driver, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-22

A concrete mixer rolled north on Park Avenue. A 60-year-old woman lay broken at E 168th Street. The truck did not stop. The intersection fell silent. The city’s machinery rolled on, leaving a body and questions in its wake.

According to the police report, a concrete mixer traveling north on Park Avenue at the corner of E 168th Street in the Bronx struck a 60-year-old woman at the intersection. The report states the woman suffered crush injuries to her entire body and was found unconscious, her breath gone. The vehicle's point of impact was the right front bumper. The police report notes that the truck did not stop after the collision. No specific driver errors are listed in the contributing factors, which are marked as 'Unspecified.' The victim was described as a pedestrian at the intersection, engaged in 'Other Actions in Roadway.' The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the presence of a large truck in a pedestrian-heavy intersection and the lethal consequences when such vehicles fail to yield or stop.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797758 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A moped slammed into a minivan in Soundview. Two teens thrown. One died. The other survived. The driver stayed. Police probe who had the right of way. Another young life lost on Bronx streets.

Gothamist (2025-02-25) reports a fatal crash at Metcalf Avenue and East 172nd Street in the Bronx. A 17-year-old, Juan Alexander Quizhpi Naranjo, drove a moped with a 14-year-old passenger when they collided with a Honda Odyssey. Both were thrown from the moped. Quizhpi Naranjo died at Jacobi Hospital; the girl survived. The minivan driver, 42, remained at the scene and faced no charges. NYPD's Collision Investigation Squad is still determining 'who had the right of way and whether a traffic violation played a role.' This marks the second traffic death this year in the 43rd Precinct, highlighting ongoing dangers for young road users.

• Bronx Teen Killed In Moped-Minivan Crash, Gothamist, Published 2025-02-25

Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly gaps for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council in February 2025. The law demands the Department of Transportation install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must notify the public and explain the delay. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Council Member Farah N. Louis led as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, and Ariola. The law took effect March 15, 2025. Timely markings close the deadly window when streets lack crosswalks and lanes, protecting people on foot and bike.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-02-13

A city bus swerved to dodge a double-parked car. It crashed through a wall and dangled over a Bronx overpass. No one was hurt. Debris rained down. The city’s parking chaos left concrete cracked and nerves frayed.

NY1 reported on January 17, 2025, that a BxM1 MTA bus partially drove off the Henry Hudson Parkway overpass near Kappock Street after the driver swerved to avoid a double-parked car. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz stated, "We’re told by the MTA that the bus was trying to get around an illegally double-parked car, and he hit the wall and went through it." The crash damaged the overpass wall and scattered debris onto the street below. No injuries were reported, though conflicting accounts left passenger presence unclear. City Councilman Eric Dinowitz highlighted the broader issue: "We’re seeing all over the city parking regulations not being enforced." The incident underscores the risks posed by illegal parking and the need for stricter enforcement and infrastructure checks.

• MTA Bus Hangs Off Bronx Overpass, NY1, Published 2025-01-17

DOT will install a two-way busway on East Tremont Avenue next spring. Cars must turn off; only buses and trucks allowed. The move targets slow, crowded buses. Most locals ride transit. The plan keeps parking, speeds up buses, and centers people, not cars.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a new two-way busway for East Tremont Avenue between Third Avenue and Southern Boulevard, to be installed in spring 2025. The proposal was presented to the Municipal Services Committee of Bronx Community Board 5. DOT’s plan, first floated in June 2024, restricts the 0.6-mile stretch to buses and trucks, forcing cars to turn off at the first opportunity. The matter summary notes, 'Bronx bus riders are about to get a short stretch of relief.' Council Member Oswald Feliz represents the district but has not publicly supported or opposed this project. Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, however, called for better bus service, stating, 'We need better buses to move across our borough from east to west.' DOT’s outreach found most shoppers and workers use transit or walk, not drive. The agency chose not to remove parking, responding to business concerns. The busway aims to speed up the Bx36, the Bronx’s fifth-busiest bus, and serve a low-income, car-free majority.

• DOT: Tremont Ave. Busway to Be Installed in Spring, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-11

Two men died inside a crumpled sedan after a head-on collision with an SUV on Park Avenue. Neither wore seat belts. The crash, marked by metal screams and shattered heads, left the street silent beneath green traffic lights.

According to the police report, a violent head-on collision occurred on Park Avenue near Claremont Parkway in the Bronx, involving a sedan and an SUV. Two men, ages 24 and 32, were passengers in the sedan and suffered fatal head injuries. Both were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. The vehicles collided front-to-front while traveling straight ahead. The report cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor in the death of the 32-year-old passenger, indicating driver failure to obey traffic signals or signs. The narrative describes the aftermath: 'Metal screamed. Lights stayed green. Their heads took the blow. The street went quiet.' No other driver errors or victim behaviors are listed as contributing factors. The crash highlights the deadly impact of driver disregard for traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4763624 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council bill slashes legal parking time for big rigs. Ninety minutes max for tractor-trailers. Three hours for other commercial trucks. Streets clear faster. Heavy metal moves on.

Int 1069-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced September 26, 2024. The bill reads: "reducing the maximum time commercial vehicles may park." Sponsored by Kevin C. Riley and 23 others, it limits parking to three hours for most commercial vehicles, and 90 minutes for tractor-trailers, unless signs say otherwise. The law takes effect 120 days after passage. Council aims to keep streets less clogged by oversized trucks. No safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets long-term truck storage on city streets.

• File Int 1069-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians now cross anywhere, any time. No summons. Law strips drivers of excuses. Streets shift. Power tilts to people on foot.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, rewrites New York’s pedestrian rules. The bill, heard by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, passed on September 26, 2024, and became law on October 26, 2024. Its title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way.” Sponsored by Council Member Tiffany Cabán and co-sponsored by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, and Restler, the law lets pedestrians cross streets anywhere, even against signals. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks. The Department of Transportation must educate all street users on new rights and responsibilities. The law removes a tool police used to target walkers. It shifts blame from people on foot to the system and those behind the wheel.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

A moped blasted through the light at 3rd Avenue and Saint Pauls Place. It struck a 55-year-old woman on an e-bike. She flew, face-first, no helmet. Blood pooled. She was conscious, bleeding, her face torn open.

According to the police report, a moped disregarded traffic control at 3rd Avenue and Saint Pauls Place and struck a 55-year-old woman riding an e-bike. The report states the moped 'ran the light' and hit the e-bike, causing the rider to be ejected and land face-first on the pavement. The woman suffered severe lacerations to her face and was conscious but bleeding at the scene. The police report explicitly lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the contributing factor, underscoring the moped driver's failure to obey the signal. The report notes the e-bike rider was not wearing a helmet, but this detail is mentioned after the driver’s violation and is not cited as a contributing factor. The crash left blood on the pavement and a rider seriously hurt, all rooted in a driver’s disregard for basic traffic law.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4754501 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

City law now forces DOT to reveal where bikes and scooters go. Streets and bridges, protected or not. Data goes public. Riders’ movement, danger, and safety projects laid bare. No more hiding the facts.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and passed on August 15, 2024. The law orders the Department of Transportation to post current bicycle and micromobility ridership data online, updated monthly or at least yearly. The matter summary reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Restler, Hudson, Schulman, and others. The law demands transparency on where riders travel and what DOT does to keep them safe. This opens the books on bike movement and exposes gaps in protection.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-08-15

A 20-year-old e-bike rider collided with a sedan and taxi near Fulton Avenue. He lay bleeding in the street, his face torn, eyes open but lost. The night echoed with the violence of improper lane use and metal on flesh.

According to the police report, a 20-year-old male e-bike rider suffered severe facial injuries after colliding with two westbound vehicles—a sedan and a taxi—near 1225 Fulton Avenue in the Bronx at 11:50 p.m. The report states he was found incoherent and bleeding heavily in the street. The official contributing factor cited is 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper,' highlighting a failure in lane discipline that led to the crash. Both the sedan and taxi were westbound, with the taxi parked at the time of impact. The e-bike rider was unlicensed and wore no helmet, but the police report does not list these as contributing factors. The focus remains on the improper lane usage that resulted in a vulnerable road user suffering grave injuries under the Bronx night.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4744266 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A bus rolled west on Jerome Avenue. Its rear struck a baby boy at East 170th. Blood on his face, he cried out. The bus did not stop. The street echoed with pain. The child survived. The city moved on.

According to the police report, a westbound bus struck a baby boy with its left rear quarter panel at the intersection of Jerome Avenue and East 170th Street in the Bronx. The report states the child, a male pedestrian, suffered severe bleeding to his face and was conscious after the impact. The narrative notes, 'A baby boy, face bloodied, struck by the rear of a westbound bus. He cried. He lived. The bus did not stop.' The driver of the bus continued without stopping at the scene. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' offering no further detail on driver error, but the failure to remain at the scene is clear. No mention is made of any pedestrian actions contributing to the crash. The report centers the harm: a child, struck and left behind, while the bus and city moved on.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4731004 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two SUVs converged on a Bronx crosswalk. A 31-year-old woman, crossing with the signal, was crushed. Distracted drivers did not see her. The light changed. She died there, her body broken on Washington Avenue.

A 31-year-old woman was killed at the corner of Washington Avenue and East 167th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, she was crossing with the signal when two station wagons/SUVs struck her, causing fatal crush injuries to her entire body. The report states both drivers were distracted, listing 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The narrative describes the victim as being 'crushed by two SUVs' and confirms she 'died there, her body broken.' The police report explicitly notes that the pedestrian was 'crossing with the signal,' placing her in the right of way. The deadly outcome was directly linked to driver distraction, with no contributing factors assigned to the victim's actions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728165 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04