Blood on the Crosswalks: Who Will Stop the Killing in District 41?

StreetsPAC picks Brad Lander for mayor. They praise his sweeping plan for safer streets and better transit. The group rejects weak promises. They demand bold action to protect people outside cars. Lander vows real change for New Yorkers.

On June 11, 2025, StreetsPAC, a political action committee for livable streets, endorsed Brad Lander for New York City mayor. The endorsement, reported by Streetsblog NYC and covered by Gersh Kuntzman, followed a review of candidate plans. StreetsPAC called Lander’s proposal 'by far the most comprehensive blueprint ... we've ever seen from a candidate for any office.' Lander promised more protected bike lanes, a citywide Bus Rapid Transit network, and using congestion pricing revenue for busways and bikeways. He pledged six-minute service on subways and buses and action on street homelessness. StreetsPAC’s endorsement signals strong support for policies that prioritize vulnerable road users. Their safety analyst noted: 'A comprehensive plan for safer streets and better public transit typically prioritizes vulnerable road users, supports mode shift, and aligns with best practices for population-level safety improvements.'

• StreetsPAC Ranks Lander #1 for Mayor, Offers Other Picks for Comptroller, Beeps and Council, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-11

A Mercedes turned left onto Rutland Road. The car struck Maurette Lafleur, 68, in the crosswalk. Medics rushed her to the hospital. She died. The driver stayed. No charges. The street stayed open. The danger stayed.

NY Daily News reported on May 15, 2025, that Maurette Lafleur, 68, was killed while crossing Rutland Road at E. 94th St. in East Flatbush. The article states, "Maurette Lafleur was in the crosswalk...when the driver of the 2025 Mercedes-Benz slammed into her." Police said the 64-year-old driver was turning left from E. 95th St. onto Rutland Road when the crash occurred. Lafleur was transported to Kings County Hospital but could not be saved. The driver remained at the scene and faced no immediate charges. The incident highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians in marked crosswalks and raises questions about intersection safety and left-turn protocols.

• Mercedes Driver Kills Woman In Crosswalk, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-15

A sedan struck a woman in the crosswalk. She crossed with the signal. The car hit her chest. She died at the scene. Police cite driver inattention. The street stayed busy. The system failed to protect her.

A 68-year-old woman was killed while crossing Rutland Road at East 95th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, she was a pedestrian at the intersection, crossing with the signal, when a westbound sedan making a left turn struck her with its center front end. The report states, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The pedestrian suffered fatal crush injuries to her chest. The driver, a 64-year-old woman, and two other occupants in the sedan were not seriously hurt. The police report lists no contributing factors for the pedestrian. The crash highlights the deadly consequences of driver inattention in New York City crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812813, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A principal drove down Lenox Road, lost control, hit parked cars, and flipped his vehicle. Police pulled him from the wreck. He refused a Breathalyzer. Charges followed. The street bore the scars. The system let him drive. The danger stayed.

According to NY Daily News (2025-05-06), Gregory Jackson, principal of Brownsville Collaborative Middle School, crashed on Lenox Road near Utica Ave. Police say he struck several parked cars and overturned his vehicle around 11:30 p.m. Jackson told police he had 'only one drink.' He refused a Breathalyzer test at the scene. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while impaired, and refusing the test. The Department of Education referred questions to the NYPD. The incident highlights the ongoing risk posed by impaired drivers and the vulnerability of anyone near city streets, even when parked. Systemic gaps allow such danger to persist.

• Principal Overturns Car In Brooklyn Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-06

A westbound car hit a 42-year-old man near Eastern Parkway. He lay semiconscious, blood pooling from his head. No crosswalk, no warning, just the sudden violence of metal against flesh and the silence that followed.

A 42-year-old man was struck by a westbound car on St. Johns Place near Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The report describes the man lying semiconscious on the pavement, bleeding from the head after being hit by the vehicle's left front bumper. The incident occurred at 20:56. The police report notes, 'No crosswalk. No warning. Just blood on the road and silence.' The pedestrian was not at an intersection when struck. No contributing factors or vehicle types were listed in the police report, and no driver actions are specified. The report does not indicate any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the impact and the severe injury suffered by the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793922, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 33-year-old man was hurled from his bicycle on Rockaway Parkway near Lenox Road. Blood covered his face. He lay still, incoherent, as his twisted bike frame glinted in the evening traffic. No helmet. The street moved on.

According to the police report, a 33-year-old male bicyclist was ejected from his bike on Rockaway Parkway near Lenox Road in Brooklyn. The report describes the man as 'thrown from his bike, face bloodied, words broken.' He was found lying still and incoherent, suffering severe bleeding to the face. The bike was described as 'twisted on the pavement,' and the report notes the absence of a helmet. No contributing factors or driver errors are listed in the police data, and no other vehicles are specified as involved. The narrative centers on the violent impact and the cyclist's injuries, highlighting the vulnerability of those traveling by bike in evening Brooklyn traffic. The police report does not cite any cyclist behavior as a contributing factor, mentioning helmet use only in the context of injury description.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4788476, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A bus lunged from its parking spot on Fulton. Metal struck flesh. A 47-year-old woman on an e-scooter flew, body torn, blood pooling beneath the streetlamp. Shock and lacerations marked the aftermath. Driver inattention shaped the night’s violence.

According to the police report, a bus moved from its parked position near 1922 Fulton Street in Brooklyn at 22:10. An e-scooter, operated by a 47-year-old woman, was making a left turn when the collision occurred. The report states, 'A bus lunged from its parking spot. The e-scooter turned left. Metal struck flesh.' The woman was ejected from her scooter, sustaining severe lacerations and shock, with injuries to her entire body. The police report explicitly lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The bus's center front end struck the left side doors of the e-scooter. The victim was unlicensed and unshielded, but the report does not cite these as contributing factors. The impact left her torn and shaking beneath a streetlamp, underscoring the consequences of driver inattention in a city street environment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4785969, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council bill Int 1069-2024 slashes legal parking time for tractor-trailers and similar trucks to 90 minutes. Commercial vehicles clogging curbs will face tighter limits. The measure targets streets where hulking rigs linger, blocking sightlines and endangering walkers and riders.

Int 1069-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on September 26, 2024. The bill reads: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reducing the maximum time commercial vehicles may park." It limits parking for tractor-trailer combinations, tractors, truck trailers, and semi-trailers to 90 minutes, down from three hours. Council Member Kevin C. Riley leads as primary sponsor, joined by Nantasha M. Williams, Darlene Mealy, Sandy Nurse, and others. The bill was referred to committee the day it was introduced. No safety analyst has yet assessed the direct impact on vulnerable road users, but the measure aims to keep large trucks from blocking curbs and crosswalks, where they threaten pedestrians and cyclists.

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

Council passed a law letting pedestrians cross streets anywhere, at any time. Jaywalking is now legal. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks or against signals. The law shifts blame from walkers to drivers. Streets belong to people again.

Int 0346-2024, now Local Law 98 of 2024, was enacted by the City Council on October 26, 2024, after passing the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way," lets pedestrians cross roadways at any point, even against traffic signals. It erases penalties for so-called jaywalking. Sponsors include Tiffany Cabán (primary), Lincoln Restler, Crystal Hudson, Shahana K. Hanif, Julie Won, Mercedes Narcisse, Darlene Mealy, Erik D. Bottcher, and Farah N. Louis. The Council voted overwhelmingly in favor. The law requires the Department of Transportation to educate all road users about these new rights. By ending jaywalking enforcement, the city removes a tool often used to blame victims and target the vulnerable. The law marks a shift: streets are for people, not just cars.

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

A westbound motorcycle crashed into a turning Audi on Linden Boulevard at East 51st. Metal shrieked. The rider’s arm was crushed. No helmet. Morning broke with pain and sirens. The street bore witness to another wound.

A violent collision unfolded on Linden Boulevard at East 51st Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a westbound motorcycle 'slammed into the front of a turning Audi.' The 38-year-old motorcycle rider, who wore no helmet, suffered a crushed arm. The report describes the moment: 'Metal groaned. Morning broke with the sound of bone and the echo of pain.' The Audi, a 2020 SUV, was making a left turn when the crash occurred. Police data lists the pre-crash actions as 'Going Straight Ahead' for the motorcycle and 'Making Left Turn' for the Audi. Contributing factors are marked as 'Unspecified,' and the report does not cite any specific driver errors. The only victim behavior noted is the absence of a helmet, mentioned after the sequence of driver actions. The crash highlights the persistent dangers at intersections where turning vehicles and through traffic collide.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4751506, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man rode north at dawn on Rochester Avenue. His bike struck something. His face hit the street. Blood pooled. He stayed upright, wounded but alive. The city’s silence swallowed the crash.

A 35-year-old man riding a bike northbound on Rochester Avenue near Saint Johns Place was injured in a crash, according to the police report. The report states, 'A man rode north at dawn. No helmet. His bike struck something. His face met the street. Blood pooled.' The cyclist suffered severe bleeding to his face but survived the impact. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' There is no mention of other vehicles or driver errors, and no evidence of victim behavior contributing to the crash beyond the note that the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, which is mentioned only after the sequence of events. The incident underscores the vulnerability of cyclists navigating city streets, especially when the cause of the crash remains unclear.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4739829, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Steel met flesh on Linden Boulevard before dawn. An SUV tore into a cyclist’s leg. Blood pooled. Bone split. The man stayed conscious, pain sharp and immediate. The SUV rolled on, untouched. The street bore the wound.

A cyclist traveling east on Linden Boulevard was struck by a northbound SUV just before 2 a.m., according to the police report. The report describes the impact in stark terms: 'Steel struck his leg. Flesh tore. Blood pooled on the street.' The 29-year-old man suffered severe lacerations and a split bone in his lower leg but did not lose consciousness. The SUV sustained no damage, and the driver’s actions are listed as 'Unspecified' in the police data. The report does not cite any contributing factors beyond the collision itself. No mention is made of cyclist behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the force of the SUV against the unprotected body of the cyclist, underscoring the systemic danger faced by vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4731511, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 2023 Honda sedan turned right on East New York Avenue and struck a 29-year-old man head-on. His head absorbed the impact. He lay unconscious, the street silent, his injuries severe and the night unyielding.

According to the police report, a 2023 Honda sedan was making a right turn on East New York Avenue when it struck a 29-year-old pedestrian head-on. The report states the point of impact was the center front end of the vehicle, with damage to the right front bumper. The pedestrian suffered crush injuries to the head and was found unconscious at the scene. The incident occurred at 3:29 a.m. The contributing factors are listed as 'Unspecified' in the report, but the narrative confirms the driver turned and hit the pedestrian directly. The victim was not at an intersection at the time of the crash. No driver errors are explicitly named beyond the act of turning and striking a pedestrian head-on. The report does not attribute any contributing behaviors to the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727610, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan turned right on East New York Avenue. A 57-year-old woman crossed with the signal. Steel caught her arm, bones crushed. She stayed awake. The car was clean. The pavement, not. The intersection marked another wound.

According to the police report, a sedan making a right turn at East New York Avenue and East 95th Street struck a 57-year-old woman as she crossed the intersection with the signal. The report states, 'A sedan turned right. A woman, 57, crossed with the signal. Steel caught her arm. Bones crushed.' The woman suffered crush injuries to her lower arm and remained conscious at the scene. The vehicle sustained no damage, but the impact left the pavement marked. The police report lists the driver’s pre-crash action as 'Making Right Turn,' and contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The victim’s behavior—crossing with the signal—is noted only to clarify she followed the law. The crash underscores the lethal risk posed to pedestrians by turning vehicles at city intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727402, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council bill targets repeat pedal-assist bike violators. Three strikes, and riders must take a DOT safety course. Ignore the rule, lose your bike. The pilot runs three years. DOT must track completions, impounds, and results. Law aims to curb reckless riding.

Int 0874-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on May 16, 2024. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing a pilot abatement program for unsafe operators of pedal-assist bicycles,' orders the Department of Transportation to launch a three-year pilot. Riders with three or more moving violations must complete a DOT-run safety course. Fail, and their pedal-assist bike can be seized until proof of course completion. The bill requires DOT to report on course completions, impounds, and program effectiveness. Council Member Joann Ariola leads as primary sponsor, joined by Crystal Hudson, Farah N. Louis, Darlene Mealy, Chris Banks, and Kamillah Hanks. The measure seeks to hold repeat offenders accountable and reduce harm to pedestrians and cyclists.

• File Int 0874-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-05-16

Metal shrieked at Ralph and Gates. Two cars collided head-on. A 20-year-old driver, belted in, suffered head trauma and crushing pain. The cause: driver inattention. The street fell silent in the aftermath.

A sedan and an SUV collided head-on at the corner of Ralph Avenue and Gates Avenue in Brooklyn just before midnight, according to the police report. The report states that a 20-year-old male driver, secured by a lap belt and harness, remained conscious but sustained head trauma and crush injuries. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor in the crash. Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead before impact, with damage concentrated at the front ends. The narrative describes the moment: 'Metal screamed. A 20-year-old driver, belted in, stayed conscious through head trauma and crushing pain. The cause: inattention.' No other contributing factors are cited. The report makes clear that driver distraction led directly to the violent collision and resulting injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4722345, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Abandoned cars choke sidewalks and crossings. Int 0857-2024 orders city crews to tow vehicles that block streets or hide their plates. Council pushes for swift removal—seventy-two hours after notice. Streets clear. Danger drops for those on foot and bike.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced April 18, 2024. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to towing vehicles that are an encumbrance on the street.' It requires the Department of Sanitation to remove vehicles blocking the street within 72 hours of notice. The NYPD must tow cars with missing, obscured, or improper plates and stickers. Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Salamanca, Brannan, Feliz, Ayala, Louis, Brewer, Avilés, Mealy, Ung, Restler, Farías, Hudson, Riley, and Schulman. The bill targets vehicles that endanger pedestrians and cyclists by blocking sightlines and crossings. It aims to clear hazards fast, making streets safer for all vulnerable road users.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-18

A moped turned left through a red at Sutter and Strauss. The rider struck a woman crossing with the signal. Her shoulder was crushed beneath the front end. She stayed conscious. The street bore witness to the violence.

According to the police report, a moped making a left turn at the corner of Sutter Avenue and Strauss Street disregarded traffic control and ran a red light. The vehicle struck a 28-year-old woman who was crossing the intersection with the signal. The report states her shoulder and upper arm were crushed beneath the moped’s center front end, causing significant injury. The pedestrian remained conscious at the scene. The police report cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors to the crash. The woman’s actions—crossing with the signal—are noted in the report, but only after the driver’s failures. The collision underscores the lethal consequences when drivers ignore traffic controls in Brooklyn’s crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4714267, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council members want 500 corridors lit for walkers each year. The bill demands bright sidewalks—no less than 1 footcandle. Most corridors must connect, forming safer, well-lit routes. The measure sits in committee, waiting for action. Darkness remains a threat.

Int 0079-2024, introduced on February 8, 2024, sits 'Laid Over in Committee' with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installation of pedestrian lighting fixtures,' would require the transportation commissioner to install sidewalk lighting in at least 500 commercial corridors per year, each lit to a minimum of 1 footcandle (11 lux). At least 450 corridors must be contiguous to others with new or existing lighting. Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Restler, Krishnan, Bottcher, and many others. The bill aims to cut through the city’s darkness, demanding light for those on foot. It remains stalled in committee, its promise unrealized.

• File Int 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-08

A taxi driver’s distraction at Utica Avenue and East New York Avenue sent a 31-year-old motorcyclist flying, face torn and bleeding, helmetless on the pavement. The street stood silent as the crash’s violence echoed in the winter air.

A violent collision unfolded at the corner of Utica Avenue and East New York Avenue when a ZHILONG motorcycle slammed into the front of a taxi, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 13:46. The 31-year-old motorcycle rider was ejected, landing on the street with severe facial lacerations and bleeding, but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor, pointing directly to the actions of the taxi driver. The report does not cite any contributing behaviors by the motorcyclist beyond noting that he was not wearing a helmet. The impact and aftermath left the street in stunned silence, underscoring the consequences of driver distraction in New York City’s dense traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4697033, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14