Hit-and-Run City: Blood on Broadway, Silence at City Hall

A BMW X5 veered off Belt Parkway near Exit 14. The SUV struck a tree. Marcus Joseph, 41, died at the scene. No passengers. No bystanders hurt. The crash left only silence and wreckage on the Brooklyn road.

NY Daily News (2025-02-18) reports Marcus Joseph, 41, died after his BMW X5 spun out of control on the Belt Parkway near Exit 14 in Starrett City, Brooklyn. Police said the SUV 'skidded off the road and slammed into a tree.' Joseph was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The article does not mention weather or road conditions. The incident highlights the dangers of high-speed corridors like the Belt Parkway, where loss of control can prove fatal. No charges were filed. The report underscores the persistent risks for all road users on New York City highways.

• BMW Skids, Slams Tree On Belt Parkway, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-18

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 man flew from his TEYIN on Manhattan Avenue. Metal buckled. Blood spilled. His knee shattered. He swerved for a car that never struck him. The street stayed hard and indifferent. He remained conscious, pain flooding the winter dusk.

According to the police report, a 55-year-old man driving a TEYIN southbound near 783 Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn was ejected from his vehicle after swerving in reaction to an uninvolved vehicle. The narrative states, 'He swerved for a ghost — a car that never touched him.' The crash left the left front of the vehicle crumpled and resulted in the driver suffering a shattered knee and severe bleeding. The report lists 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as the primary contributing factor, highlighting a critical driver error. The man was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. No other vehicles made contact, and no other injuries were reported. The incident underscores the danger posed by sudden evasive maneuvers and the unpredictable hazards drivers introduce to city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4796851 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Night on Kent Avenue. A moped barrels into a stopped sedan. The rider, helmeted, is hurled and bleeds hard onto the cold blacktop. The sedan sits untouched. The man does not. Steel and flesh meet. Only one is spared.

A 34-year-old moped rider was severely injured after crashing into a stopped sedan near 157 Kent Avenue in Brooklyn at 8:00 p.m., according to the police report. The report states the moped 'slams a stopped sedan,' with the rider 'thrown, helmeted, bleeding hard from the arm.' The police cite 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor in the crash. The moped's front end struck the right side doors of the sedan, which was stopped in traffic and sustained no damage. The moped rider was partially ejected and suffered severe bleeding to the lower arm. According to the police, the sedan remained stationary and was not physically impacted, while the moped absorbed the full force. The report notes the rider was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790274 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A cargo van struck Mayya Gil, 95, and her aide in Brooklyn. Gil died. The driver turned left, hit them in the crosswalk. No charges filed. Gil survived war and disaster, but not New York traffic. Another senior lost to city streets.

Gothamist (2025-01-26) reports that Mayya Gil, 95, was killed while crossing Cropsey Avenue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. A man driving a cargo van made a left turn and struck Gil and her home health aide. The aide survived; Gil did not. Police made no arrests or charges. The article notes, 'She was a very active lady.' Gil was the second elderly pedestrian killed in Brooklyn that month. Transportation Alternatives highlighted that 46 senior pedestrians died in city crashes last year. The crash underscores the ongoing risk to older New Yorkers at crosswalks and the lack of driver accountability in such incidents.

• Elderly Woman Killed Crossing Cropsey Avenue, Gothamist, Published 2025-01-26

A young man on a motorcycle slammed into the back of a Jeep on Freeman Street. His leg shattered, helmet still on, pain raw and immediate. The street bore witness as distraction and close following left him broken, breathing, and awake.

According to the police report, a 21-year-old unlicensed motorcycle rider struck the rear of a Jeep SUV on Freeman Street in Brooklyn. The report states the rider was 'partially ejected' and suffered 'crush injuries' to his leg, remaining conscious at the scene. The police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors in the crash. The motorcycle's point of impact was the left front bumper, colliding with the Jeep's center back end. The rider was wearing a helmet, as documented in the report. No contributing factors are attributed to the Jeep driver. The collision underscores the dangers when driver attention lapses and following distances vanish, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to devastating harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4784559 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A white Audi struck Michael Foster on Caton Avenue. The car dragged him for blocks. The driver never stopped. Foster died in the street. The Audi vanished into the night. No arrests. The city’s danger stays.

NY Daily News reported on January 1, 2025, that Michael Foster, 64, was killed after a white Audi hit him on Caton Ave. near Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn. The driver, described as speeding, dragged Foster for half a mile before leaving him near Linden Blvd. and Nostrand Ave. The article quotes a witness: "I saw him at the stop light. He would go out to the cars and beg for change." The driver fled the scene and has not been caught. No arrests have been made. The incident highlights the lethal risk for pedestrians in city streets and the ongoing issue of hit-and-run drivers evading responsibility.

• Audi Driver Drags Man Half Mile, NY Daily News, Published 2025-01-01

A 43-year-old woman crossing Flatbush Avenue with the signal was struck by a speeding e-bike. She suffered severe lacerations but remained conscious. The unlicensed rider fled. The e-bike showed no damage. The street held its silence.

A woman, age 43, was injured while crossing Flatbush Avenue near Nevins Street in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The report states she was 'crossing with the light' when a speeding e-bike struck her, causing 'severe lacerations' to her entire body. She remained conscious after the impact. The e-bike operator, described as unlicensed, did not stop at the scene. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The e-bike showed no visible damage. The victim’s action—crossing with the signal—is noted in the report, but the primary focus remains on the rider’s speed, improper lane usage, and lack of a valid license. The crash underscores the dangers posed by reckless operation and systemic failures to control unlicensed riders.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4780866 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Metal groaned on Nostrand Avenue. Two cars trapped, one stacked atop the other. A bus driver, a woman, a girl—hurt but alive. Emergency crews worked fast. The street bore the scars. The cause stayed hidden in the wreckage.

NY Daily News reported on December 18, 2024, that a multi-vehicle crash at Nostrand Ave. and Park Ave. in Brooklyn left three people injured. The article states, 'Three people were injured, including an MTA bus driver and a young girl, in a collision that pinned two cars between a box truck and a city bus.' Footage showed two vehicles sandwiched between the bus and truck, with one car stacked atop another. The injured included a 59-year-old MTA driver, a 33-year-old woman, and a 9-year-old girl. All were hospitalized in stable condition. The cause of the crash was not determined at the time of reporting. The incident highlights the risks at busy intersections and the dangers posed by large vehicles in dense urban traffic.

• Cars Crushed Between Bus And Truck, NY Daily News, Published 2024-12-18

Two sedans collided violently on Adams Street near Fulton. One made a U-turn, the other drove straight. A 55-year-old woman passenger struck her head, bleeding but conscious. Unsafe speed and ignored signals fueled the crash and injuries.

According to the police report, at 19:10 on Adams Street near Fulton in Brooklyn, two sedans collided. One sedan was making a U-turn while the other was traveling straight north. The report identifies 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors to the crash. A 55-year-old female passenger suffered a head injury with significant bleeding but remained conscious. Additional occupants, including a 31-year-old female driver and two passengers aged 9 and 15, sustained neck injuries consistent with whiplash. The report emphasizes that driver errors—specifically unsafe speed and failure to obey traffic controls—were central to the collision and resulting injuries. No victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4780689 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council bill bars cars from blocking crosswalks. No standing or parking within 20 feet. City must install daylighting barriers at 1,000 intersections yearly. Streets clear. Sightlines open. Danger cut.

Int 1138-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced December 5, 2024. The bill states: “prohibiting standing or parking a vehicle within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.” Council Member Erik D. Bottcher leads, joined by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and over two dozen co-sponsors. The law orders the Department of Transportation to install daylighting barriers at a minimum of 1,000 intersections each year, up from 100. The city must also run outreach and education. The bill aims to keep crosswalks clear, improve visibility, and protect people on foot and bike. No more hiding behind parked cars. The committee laid the bill over on April 21, 2025.

• File Int 1138-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-12-05

A city worker crashed into three cars in Bed-Stuy. She dragged a person, struck a car with a pregnant woman, and tried to flee. No life-threatening injuries. Police arrested her near the scene. Charges include assault and reckless endangerment.

Gothamist (2024-11-27) reports a New York City Housing Authority employee crashed into three vehicles near Gates Avenue and Marcus Garvey Boulevard in Brooklyn. Police say the driver, Tanisha Simpson, "swiped an oncoming car," dragged a person trying to get her information, and hit another car with a pregnant woman inside. She then struck a third, unoccupied vehicle before being arrested by city sheriffs nearby. The pregnant woman was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Simpson faces charges of reckless endangerment, assault, and leaving the scene. The incident highlights ongoing risks at busy intersections and underscores the consequences of fleeing after a crash.

• Driver Drags Person, Hits Pregnant Woman, Gothamist, Published 2024-11-27

Steel shrieked on Meeker Avenue as a westbound sedan plowed into a parked Dodge. A 29-year-old man gripped his bleeding arm, seatbelt biting. The signal was ignored. The wound lingered, echoing the violence of midnight metal.

A westbound Honda sedan struck a parked Dodge on Meeker Avenue near Union Avenue just before midnight, injuring the 29-year-old male driver of the Honda. According to the police report, 'Traffic Control Disregarded' was listed as the primary contributing factor. The narrative states, 'The signal was ignored,' underscoring the failure to obey traffic controls. The impact left the driver with severe lacerations to his arm, as he remained restrained by his lap belt. The parked Dodge was unoccupied at the time of the crash. No evidence in the police report attributes any contributing factors to the parked vehicle or its occupants. The collision highlights the consequences when drivers disregard traffic signals, as detailed in the official account.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774773 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A bus turned, steel and glass sweeping the corner. An e-bike rider, seventy-four, thrown down. His head struck, life ended. The street stilled. The door bore the mark. Brooklyn night, another life lost to traffic’s violence.

A 74-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed at the corner of Jay Street and Tillary Street in Brooklyn when a bus struck him while making a right turn, according to the police report. The narrative states the man was 'thrown from the saddle' and suffered fatal head injuries, with 'the door bore the mark' signaling the point of impact on the bus. The police report lists the bus as 'making right turn' and the e-bike as 'going straight ahead.' Both contributing factors are marked as 'Unspecified' in the report. The victim was not wearing a helmet, but the report does not cite this as a contributing factor. The collision ended with the e-bike rider ejected and killed, underscoring the lethal risk faced by vulnerable road users when large vehicles turn across their path.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769478 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A car’s right front struck a 48-year-old cyclist on Union Avenue. The man wore a helmet. His arm was torn open. Blood pooled on the street. He was thrown, conscious, with deep cuts and broken flesh. Failure to yield shattered the morning.

According to the police report, a 48-year-old man riding a bike westbound on Union Avenue near Broadway in Brooklyn was struck by a car’s right front. The collision left the cyclist with severe lacerations to his arm, described as 'deep cuts and broken flesh,' and he was partially ejected from his bike but remained conscious. The report states the driver’s 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The narrative details blood on the street and the cyclist’s helmet use, but helmet use is not listed as a contributing factor. The crash occurred at 8:36 a.m. The focus remains on the driver’s failure to yield, which directly led to the cyclist’s injuries, as documented by police.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768382 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Jeep turned right on McGuinness. A moped slammed into its side. The rider, thirty-three, chest crushed, partly thrown, breathing but battered. Steel and flesh collided. The street fell silent, danger written in bent metal.

A collision unfolded on McGuinness Boulevard in Brooklyn when, according to the police report, a Jeep made a right turn and a northbound moped struck its side. The moped rider, a 33-year-old man, suffered chest crush injuries and was partially ejected from his vehicle. He remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors in the crash. The Jeep’s right side doors bore the brunt of the impact. The moped’s front end was destroyed. The moped rider was unlicensed, but the report centers driver error—failure to yield—as a primary cause. The violence of the crash left the street quiet, the aftermath marked by twisted metal and injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4770347 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Steel and rubber rolled over a man working in the street. Four trucks passed. The street fell silent. A worker’s life ended beneath the weight of traffic, the city’s machinery grinding on, indifferent to flesh and bone.

A 37-year-old man was killed while working in the roadway on Myrtle Avenue near Walworth Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the victim was not at an intersection but performing work in the street when he was struck and crushed. The report details that a box truck, a pickup truck, a flatbed, and an SUV were involved, with vehicles traveling both east and west. The narrative states the man was 'crushed and killed beneath steel and rubber,' and that 'a box truck, a pickup, and two others passed through.' The police report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified' for the drivers involved. No driver errors are explicitly cited in the report, but the involvement of multiple large vehicles and the presence of a worker in the roadway underscore the systemic dangers faced by those laboring in active traffic lanes.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4767337 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council pushes Albany to let New York City ticket drivers who block bike lanes. Cameras would catch violators. Cyclists face deadly risk. Lawmakers demand action. Streets must protect the vulnerable.

Resolution 0574-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced September 26, 2024, it urges passage of S.5008A/A.803A. The measure calls for a 'bicycle lane safety program' using cameras to enforce bike lane rules. Council Members Shahana K. Hanif (primary sponsor), Lincoln Restler, and Erik D. Bottcher back the resolution. The text states: 'enforce certain restrictions on the use of bicycle lanes and protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' The council demands Albany act. Cyclists die while drivers block lanes. The bill aims to hold motorists accountable and protect those most at risk.

• File Res 0574-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

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