Apr 12 - A stolen car slammed into a Manhattan building. Flames followed. The driver, Francisco Guzman Parra, died on impact. His family waited days for answers. Police actions now face scrutiny. The city counts another life lost to speed and steel.

The New York Times (April 12, 2025) reports on the death of Francisco Guzman Parra after a stolen Honda CRV crashed into a building in Inwood, Manhattan. The crash followed a police chase; two officers involved were suspended pending investigation. The article notes, "The police are investigating whether the officers left the scene without reporting the crash." The medical examiner found Guzman Parra died from blunt impact and thermal injuries. The NYPD force investigation unit and state attorney general are reviewing the incident. The police have not disclosed why the chase began or details about the pursuit. The case highlights ongoing questions about police pursuit policies and the dangers that follow high-speed chases through city streets.

• Police Chase Ends Inwood Crash Death, The New York Times, Published 2025-04-12

Apr 11 - Including Thursday's deadly crash, 25 people have been killed in New York City sightseeing helicopter accidents in the last 40 years.

• Lawmakers aim to make changes after New York City sightseeing helicopter crash, ABC7, Published 2025-04-11

Apr 10 - 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

Apr 7 - A box truck struck a man sitting in the street at West 40th and 9th. The man died at the scene. The driver stayed. Police are investigating. No arrests. The victim’s name is not known.

Patch reported on April 7, 2025, that a man was killed by a box truck at West 40th Street and 9th Avenue in Manhattan. The article states, “Police determined that a box truck, operated by a 75-year-old man, was traveling southbound on 9 Avenue when the vehicle collided with the victim, who was sitting in the roadway.” The driver remained at the scene and was not injured. No arrests have been made. The victim’s identity has not been released. The incident highlights the persistent risk to people in city streets and the need for scrutiny of how large vehicles interact with vulnerable road users. The investigation is ongoing.

• Box Truck Kills Man In Hell's Kitchen, Patch, Published 2025-04-07

Apr 3 - A stolen SUV crashed and burned in Inwood. Two NYPD officers chased it, then left the wreck. The driver died in the flames. The officers returned to their Bronx precinct. They did not report the crash. Both are now suspended.

According to the NY Daily News (April 3, 2025), two NYPD officers pursued a stolen Honda CR-V from the Bronx into Manhattan. The chase ended when the SUV crashed into a building near Dyckman St and burst into flames. The officers 'fled the scene,' leaving the driver, who died in the fire. Surveillance footage showed their patrol car leaving. The officers did not report the incident and finished their shift. Both were suspended as the NYPD Force Investigation Division launched a probe. This crash comes after the NYPD tightened pursuit policies, now allowing chases only for felonies or violent misdemeanors. The department aims to avoid pursuits that 'lead to crashes and injure other motorists and pedestrians.' NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said police would instead use 'advanced tools of modern-day policing' to track suspects.

• Officers Flee Scene After Fatal Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-03

Mar 6 - A stolen minivan tore through Harlem. The driver ran from police. He struck Devon Hughley on a scooter. Hughley died at Harlem Hospital. The driver fled. Police used facial recognition. They arrested Enesin Delarosa. Grief lingers. Memorials remain.

According to the NY Daily News (2025-03-06), Enesin Delarosa, 26, was arrested for fatally striking Devon Hughley, 45, while fleeing an NYPD car stop in Harlem on November 2. The article reports Delarosa was driving a stolen minivan and "allegedly hit Hughley near W.155th St. and St. Nicholas Ave. while fleeing a traffic stop." Delarosa faces charges of manslaughter, leaving the scene, fleeing police, and possession of stolen property. The crash highlights the lethal risk of high-speed police pursuits and the dangers posed by stolen vehicles in dense urban areas. Memorial posters for Hughley remain in his building. The article quotes Hughley's sister, Yvette Palmer: "the arrest brought some peace."

• Scooter Rider Killed Fleeing Traffic Stop, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-06

Feb 13 - 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

Feb 6 - A 90-year-old woman died on York Avenue. A cab made a U-turn and struck her. Another car hit her moments later. She was rushed to the hospital. Both drivers stayed. She did not survive.

According to the New York Post (published February 6, 2025), Frances Rickard, 90, was crossing York Avenue at East 72nd Street around 5:40 p.m. when a yellow taxi, driven by a 68-year-old man, made a U-turn and struck her. Police said, “Moments later, a 35-year-old woman driving a 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer also struck her.” Rickard was taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she died. Both drivers remained at the scene and have not been charged. The sequence highlights the dangers of U-turns and multi-lane crossings for pedestrians. The intersection saw two vehicles collide with a vulnerable road user in quick succession, underscoring persistent risks in city street design and driver behavior.

• Elderly Pedestrian Killed Crossing York Avenue, New York Post, Published 2025-02-06

Feb 4 - A Tesla hit a guardrail on the FDR. The car flipped, burned. The driver died at the scene. Her passenger survived but was badly hurt. Debris scattered. Police closed lanes for hours. The cause is still under investigation.

According to the New York Post (2025-02-04), a Tesla crashed on Manhattan's FDR Drive near 70th Street early Tuesday. The car struck a guardrail, flipped, and caught fire. Both occupants were ejected. The article states, 'A female driver was killed and her passenger seriously injured after they were tossed from a Tesla that flipped and then burst into flames.' The driver died at the scene; the passenger was hospitalized in stable condition. Photos showed 'large pieces of the vehicle scattered across the road.' Police have not determined if speed was a factor and continue to investigate. The crash closed all northbound lanes for several miles as fire crews responded. The incident highlights the violent consequences of high-speed impacts and the dangers posed by vehicle ejection and fire.

• Tesla Crash Ejects Two On FDR Drive, New York Post, Published 2025-02-04

Jan 29 - A city bus struck a 59-year-old man on an e-bike at Lenox Avenue and West 138th Street. His head was crushed. He died there, unconscious, in the dark, while the city slept. The street claimed another life.

A 59-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed when a northbound bus struck him at Lenox Avenue and West 138th Street in Manhattan, according to the police report. The report states, 'A 59-year-old man on an e-bike was struck by a northbound bus. His head was crushed. He died there, unconscious, in the dark, as the city slept around him.' The bus and e-bike were both reported as going straight ahead before the crash. The police report lists contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are specified in the data, but the fatal impact between the bus and the vulnerable cyclist resulted in a deadly head injury. The e-bike rider was not using any safety equipment, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the absence of specified driver errors. The crash took place just after midnight, underscoring the ongoing danger faced by cyclists on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4789910 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 26 - A taxi veered off Sixth Avenue, mounted the curb, and struck a crowd near Herald Square. Three pedestrians, including a child, landed in the hospital. The driver stayed at the scene. Metal, flesh, and concrete met in Midtown’s holiday rush.

Gothamist (2024-12-26) reports a Midtown crash where a taxi driver, experiencing a medical episode, drove onto the sidewalk at Sixth Avenue and West 34th Street, injuring a 9-year-old boy and two women. Police said, 'they did not suspect any criminality in the crash.' The driver, 58, remained at the scene and was taken for evaluation. Four others declined medical attention. The article notes, 'the driver was driving northbound on Sixth Avenue around 3 p.m. on Wednesday when he jumped the curb and plowed into a crowd.' The incident highlights the persistent risk posed by vehicles in crowded pedestrian zones, regardless of intent or driver health. No policy changes were announced.

• Taxi Jumps Curb, Hits Midtown Pedestrians, Gothamist, Published 2024-12-26

Dec 23 - A police car crossed the line. Metal struck flesh. Samuel Williams, riding his dirt bike, was thrown and killed. Body cam footage shows the officer’s move. Another NYPD car tried the same. The city sent Williams’ family a bill.

NY Daily News (2024-12-23) reports that NYPD body camera footage shows an officer veering into the path of Samuel Williams, a 36-year-old dirt bike rider, during a pursuit on the University Heights Bridge. Williams was struck, thrown, and died from his injuries. The article states, “An officer pursuing dirt bikers suddenly crossed the double yellow line into Williams' path, causing a collision.” Another NYPD vehicle attempted a similar maneuver. The family’s attorney called it a “deadly maneuver” for a minor violation. The city later billed Williams’ family for police vehicle damages. The NYPD has not commented, citing litigation. The case raises questions about police pursuit tactics and accountability.

• NYPD Officer Veers Into Dirt Biker’s Path, NY Daily News, Published 2024-12-23

Dec 19 - Council moves to test bold pavement markings at crash sites. Five spots per borough. Focus: places where drivers have killed or maimed. Report to follow. Streets marked for danger.

Int 1154-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced December 19, 2024. The bill orders a pilot for high visibility pavement markings—at least five locations per borough. The city must target streets with high injury or fatality counts from bad driving. The matter title reads: 'establishing a high visibility pavement marking pilot program.' Council Member Yusef Salaam leads, joined by Menin, De La Rosa, Brooks-Powers, Cabán, Brannan, and Hanif. The law demands a report on results and challenges. The aim: mark danger, force drivers to see, and push the city to act where blood has already been spilled.

• File Int 1154-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-12-19

Dec 13 - Four vehicles collide at midnight on W 134th and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd. Steel twists, glass shatters. Three men, belted in, suffer crushed necks and torn flesh. Sirens wail as blood pools on cold asphalt, the city’s silence shattered by chaos.

According to the police report, a violent multi-vehicle collision occurred at midnight at the intersection of W 134th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd in Manhattan. Four vehicles—a Volvo, Toyota, Mini, and NYC EMS truck—were all traveling straight ahead before impact. Three men driving sedans sustained serious crush injuries to the neck and abdomen. The report explicitly cites 'Alcohol Involvement' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors for two of the drivers. The narrative describes the aftermath: 'Three men, belted in, crushed and bleeding. One groans through torn flesh. Alcohol on breath.' No pedestrian involvement or victim behavior was listed as a contributing factor. The crash centers on driver errors and systemic danger, with alcohol and distraction fueling the midnight wreck.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4784020 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 3 - A 66-year-old man lay dying on W 135th Street, crushed by a westbound Toyota. His head shattered, organs ruptured. The streetlights glared down as life left his body. The car rolled on, the city’s danger exposed again.

According to the police report, a 66-year-old man was struck and killed by a westbound Toyota at the corner of W 135th Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan. The report states the pedestrian was 'outside the crosswalk' when the collision occurred. The impact crushed his head and ruptured his organs. He died at the scene, under the streetlights. The vehicle was described as a 'TOYT -CAR/SUV' traveling straight ahead. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No evidence in the report points to any driver evasive action or external hazard. The focus remains on the lethal interaction between the moving vehicle and the vulnerable pedestrian, underscoring the persistent systemic danger at city intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769074 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 2 - An SUV slammed head-on into an e-bike on W 155th Street. The rider flew from his bike, struck the pavement, and died from head trauma. Police cite driver distraction. The crash left a man lifeless on Manhattan asphalt.

According to the police report, an SUV collided head-on with an e-bike at W 155th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in Manhattan. The SUV struck the e-bike directly, throwing the male rider from his bike. The report states the victim suffered fatal head trauma and was found with no pulse. The narrative specifies, 'The driver was distracted.' The only contributing factor listed is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The e-bike rider was ejected and killed on impact. The police report notes the rider was not wearing a helmet, but this detail is not cited as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction, with the SUV's actions directly leading to the cyclist's death.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768346 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 27 - A sedan crashed into a parked Buick at E 125th and Madison. The Buick’s bumper buckled. Inside, a 33-year-old man sat motionless, unbelted. No screech, no warning, just sudden death in the morning hush.

According to the police report, a sedan collided with a parked Buick at the corner of E 125th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan at 10:15 a.m. The impact crushed the Buick’s left rear bumper. Inside the parked car, a 33-year-old man was found unresponsive and died at the scene. The report notes there were no skid marks and no signs of evasive action before the crash. The deceased was not wearing a seatbelt, as documented in the report, but no contributing factors or driver errors were specified by police. The parked Buick was stationary at the time of the crash. The narrative describes the crash as sudden and silent, with no struggle or attempt to avoid impact. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768137 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 28 - An SUV struck a bike near West 141st. Two men thrown. Legs torn, blood on blacktop. The bike twisted, SUV front crushed. Both riders conscious. One was a child. Alcohol played its part. The city’s danger revealed in steel and flesh.

According to the police report, a Station Wagon/SUV traveling north on Saint Nicholas Avenue near West 141st Street collided with a bike, resulting in severe injuries to two male bicyclists, one of whom was a child. Both victims suffered severe lacerations to their legs and remained conscious at the scene. The report states, 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor in the crash. The SUV’s front end was crushed, and the bike was demolished. The narrative describes the SUV as having 'plowed into a bike,' with both riders thrown and blood slicking the asphalt. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The collision underscores the lethal consequences when drivers operate vehicles under the influence, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to catastrophic harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4761533 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 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

Sep 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