• Man struck and killed by two vehicles while trying to cross Belt Parkway in South Ozone Park: NYPD, amny, Published 2025-09-16

• Maniac NYC driver who mowed down teen girl after she rejected lewd advances had suspended license: docs, New York Post, Published 2025-09-14

• 16-year-old girl dies after being hit by SUV in Queens, CBS New York, Published 2025-09-13

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4842261 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 31 - A driver in an SUV turned right onto 30 St at 39 Ave and hit a 38-year-old woman in a marked crosswalk. She died. Police recorded failure to yield by the driver.

A driver in a Ford SUV turned right from southbound 30 St onto 39 Ave and struck a 38-year-old woman in a marked crosswalk. She was killed. According to the police report, contributing factors included "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way." Police recorded failure to yield by the driver. The vehicle's center front end struck the pedestrian. The driver was licensed and the vehicle showed center front end damage. The pedestrian record notes she was crossing, no signal, in a marked crosswalk. The crash occurred in Queens (Precinct 114). No other injuries among vehicle occupants were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4838875 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 13 - A driver struck a man crossing 155th Street near JFK. The car sped off. Medics rushed the victim to the hospital. He died. Police searched for footage. No arrests. The street stayed silent.

NY Daily News (2025-08-13) reports a 52-year-old man was killed crossing 155th St. at South Conduit Ave. near JFK Airport around 2:30 a.m. The driver hit the man and fled. Police said, "The driver sped off without stopping. No arrests have been made." Officers searched for surveillance footage to identify the vehicle. The article notes 68 pedestrians have died in city crashes this year. The hit-and-run highlights ongoing dangers for those on foot and the challenge of holding drivers accountable.

• Queens Hit-And-Run Kills Pedestrian Near JFK, NY Daily News, Published 2025-08-13

Aug 12 - A car tore through an Astoria intersection. It struck a food truck. Two men died on the sidewalk. The driver died too. Metal, flesh, coffee, blood. The street swallowed them. It happened fast. No one stood a chance.

According to the New York Post (2025-08-12), an 84-year-old driver sped through 42nd Street and 19th Avenue in Astoria, Queens, crashing into a food truck and killing two customers and himself. Surveillance showed the car "going about 60 miles an hour" before impact. The article quotes a witness: "Someone screamed really loudly, and I just had stepped back, like right up to the sidewalk." The force severed a victim's foot. The crash highlights the lethal risk when drivers lose control at high speed in pedestrian zones. No charges were filed; the driver died at the scene.

• Speeding Car Slams Food Truck, Kills Two, New York Post, Published 2025-08-12

Aug 11 - A car thief fled cops, leaping into the Atlantic. Officers dove in, fought him in the water, and dragged him to shore. The chase began with a stolen sedan, ended in cold surf, cuffs snapping shut.

NY Daily News (2025-08-11) reports a car thief jumped into the Atlantic off Far Rockaway after police caught him with a stolen Honda. The suspect, Matthew Swafford, used a stolen North Carolina plate. Officers pursued him into the water, as shown in NYPD video. Detective Demerest called, 'Take my belt!' before diving in. Swafford was charged with possession of stolen property and other offenses. The incident highlights risks when suspects flee in stolen vehicles, raising questions about pursuit protocols and the dangers posed by car theft in dense urban areas.

• Car Thief Jumps Far Rockaway Dock, NY Daily News, Published 2025-08-11

Aug 8 - DOT sides with car-first politicians. Daylighting stalls. Corners stay blind. Pedestrians and cyclists lose. Safety takes a back seat. The city’s most vulnerable pay the price.

""It isn’t unreasonable to invest under $10k to save the lives of children and all pedestrians with daylighting?"" -- Julie Won

On August 8, 2025, Streetsblog NYC covered the clash over universal daylighting. No bill number or committee listed. DOT’s report claimed high costs and little safety gain, fueling opposition from Council Members Inna Vernikov, Bob Holden, and Vito Fossella. Council Member Julie Won and Mayor Ravi Bhalla called the report a scare tactic, urging citywide daylighting to save lives. DOT’s compromise with pro-car officials weakens protections. As safety analyst notes, this shift prioritizes cars over people, undermining vulnerable road user safety and citywide mode shift goals.

• We Told You So! DOT’s Anti-Daylighting ‘Scare Tactic’ Now Fuels Pro-Car Pols, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 7 - The driver of a sedan made a U-turn on Woodside Ave and hit a 62-year-old motorcyclist. He suffered crush injuries to his knee and lower leg. Police recorded failure to yield by the driver.

On Woodside Avenue in Queens a sedan and a motorcycle collided when the driver of the sedan made a U-turn and the motorcycle, traveling straight, struck the sedan’s front. The motorcycle rider, a 62-year-old man, was recorded injured with crush injuries to his knee and lower leg. According to the police report, the crash involved "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way." Police recorded failure to yield by the driver of the sedan. Vehicle records show center front-end damage to both the motorcycle and the sedan. The report lists no other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833478 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 3 - Council weighs a 20-foot parking ban at crosswalks. Supporters say it saves lives. Critics warn of lost parking and risk. Streets stand at a crossroads.

""Universal daylighting and hardening at intersections will keep all New Yorkers safe whether they are driving, walking or biking,"" -- Julie Won

Intro. 1138, now before the City Council as of August 3, 2025, targets cars parked within 20 feet of crosswalks. The transportation committee leads the review. The bill's summary: 'ban vehicles from parking within 20 feet of crosswalks to improve visibility and street safety.' Council Member Barbara Russo-Lennon supports the measure. Council Member Julie Won and advocates back it. DOT officials and some lawmakers oppose, citing cost and risk. The bill could cut 300,000 parking spots. Banning parking near intersections improves visibility for all road users, reducing collisions and making streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists, even if it reduces parking.

• NYC to lose 300,000 parking spots in City Council bid to boost street safety, AMNY, Published 2025-08-03

Aug 3 - A driver struck an e-bike rider in Queens. A scooter rider crashed in Brooklyn. Both died. Streets claimed them. Police investigate. Lives ended fast. Metal and speed left no room for error.

NY Daily News (2025-08-03) reports two fatal e-vehicle crashes. On July 31, a 62-year-old Nissan Rogue driver hit Zhao Feng Zhen, 55, on Hollis Court Blvd in Queens. The driver remained at the scene; police continue to investigate. On July 12, Eusebio Quinones, 60, lost control of his electric scooter on Union Ave in Brooklyn and died from his injuries days later. The article notes, 'police are still investigating the crash.' These deaths highlight ongoing risks for vulnerable road users on city streets.

• Two Killed In Separate E-Vehicle Crashes, NY Daily News, Published 2025-08-03

Aug 1 - A car struck and killed a 23-year-old man on 101st Street. The driver sped off after an encounter at the window. Police found the victim with severe trauma. He died at Jamaica Hospital.

According to the New York Post (2025-08-01), a 23-year-old man died after being run over on 101st Street and Liberty Boulevard in Queens. The article reports, "Sonalall approached the driver's side window and flashed what appeared to be a gun, startling the motorist, who then drove off, striking Sonalall." The Queens District Attorney's Office did not charge the driver, citing fear for his life. The incident highlights the lethal risk when vehicles are used in moments of conflict. No charges were filed, raising questions about how self-defense is interpreted in car-related deaths.

• Man Killed By Driver In Queens Street, New York Post, Published 2025-08-01

Jul 30 - Council moves to ban parking near corners. Sightlines clear. Crashes drop. Pedestrians and cyclists breathe easier. DOT doubts linger. Advocates press on. Streets could change fast.

"Won criticized the report as "deeply flawed" at a Transportation Committee hearing in April." -- Julie Won

On July 30, 2025, the NYC Council Progressive Caucus made a major push for Intro 1138, a bill to ban parking within 20 feet of intersections. The measure sits with the Transportation Committee. Council Member Julie Won introduced it after deadly crashes in her district. Eighteen caucus members back the bill, aiming to force a vote this year. The matter: 'eliminate parking within 20 feet of an intersection.' Council Member Sandy Nurse called daylighting 'a proven, effective way to make our streets safer.' DOT raised doubts about non-hardened daylighting, but safety analysts say restricting parking near intersections improves visibility, reduces collisions, and protects people on foot and bike.

• NYC Council Progressive Caucus to make push for universal daylighting in 2025, City & State NY, Published 2025-07-30

Jul 9 - A battery exploded. Fire roared. Yuet Kiu Cheung, 76, was trapped in smoke and flame inside a Queens pizzeria. She died from her burns. Lithium-ion danger struck again. Four others escaped.

According to the New York Post (2025-07-09), Yuet Kiu Cheung, 76, died after an e-bike battery exploded inside Singas Famous Pizzeria in Flushing, Queens. The FDNY described a 'blowtorch effect' that trapped Cheung as she tried to escape the bathroom. The article notes, 'These fires are treacherous. They move very quickly.' This was the first fatal lithium-ion battery fire in NYC for 2025, with officials citing a rising trend in such incidents. The battery was stored outside the bathroom, highlighting risks of indoor storage and the need for stronger safety measures.

• E-Bike Battery Blast Kills Woman In Queens, New York Post, Published 2025-07-09

Jul 7 - BMW hit divider, flew across highway, struck two cars. Fire followed. Two young lives ended. Others hurt. Concrete, speed, and steel left scars in Queens dawn.

NY Daily News (2025-07-07) reports a BMW crashed into a concrete divider on Queens' Belt Parkway, then vaulted over the highway, hitting two vehicles. The BMW caught fire. Driver Noah Thompson, 24, and passenger Jewel Perez, 22, died after hospital transport. Three other BMW passengers and two other drivers survived with minor or stable injuries. Police noted, "No one in the BMW was wearing a seat belt." Authorities sought a warrant to test the driver's blood for alcohol. The crash highlights high-speed risks and the dangers of divided highways.

• BMW Crash Kills Two on Belt Parkway, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-07

• Fatally Injured Teenager Is Discovered on Top of a N.Y.C. Subway Car, The New York Times, Published 2025-07-04

Jun 30 - Council orders swift removal of abandoned, derelict cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. No plates, no stickers, no excuses. Police and sanitation must act. Safer crossings for all who walk, ride, or wait.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council on June 30, 2025. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation," requires the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours of report. The NYPD must tow cars lacking valid plates or stickers. Prime sponsor Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led, joined by Crystal Hudson, Amanda Farías, Lincoln Restler, and others. The law targets street hazards, clearing blocked sightlines and crosswalks. It aims to cut risks for pedestrians and cyclists by removing abandoned vehicles fast.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-30

Jun 30 - Council orders swift removal of abandoned, derelict cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. No plates, no stickers, no excuses. Police and sanitation must act. Safer crossings for all who walk, ride, or wait.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council on June 30, 2025. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation," requires the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours of report. The NYPD must tow cars lacking valid plates or stickers. Prime sponsor Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led, joined by Crystal Hudson, Amanda Farías, Lincoln Restler, and others. The law targets street hazards, clearing blocked sightlines and crosswalks. It aims to cut risks for pedestrians and cyclists by removing abandoned vehicles fast.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-30

Jun 23 - A pickup fleeing police struck Amanda Servedio on her bike. The crash hurled her thirty feet. She died at the scene. The driver, Bekim Fiseku, ran. Police chased him through residential streets. Eight months later, they made an arrest.

According to NY Daily News (2025-06-23), Amanda Servedio, 37, was killed when a Dodge Ram pickup, fleeing NYPD officers, struck her at 37th St. and 34th Ave. in Queens. The driver, Bekim Fiseku, was wanted for burglary and had tape over his license plate. Police chased him nearly a mile through residential streets. A witness said, "She went airborne. She flew like 30 feet. It was a lot of force." The article highlights concerns about NYPD's pursuit tactics, quoting the victim's father: "It was probably not the place to be doing a high-speed chase, in the residential neighborhood." Fiseku faces murder and manslaughter charges. The case raises questions about the risks of police chases in dense city neighborhoods.

• Police Chase Ends With Cyclist Killed, NY Daily News, Published 2025-06-23