E-bike rider killed pedestrian Luis Cruz in Greenpoint
A city crash record logged a pedestrian death at Franklin and India streets on March 21, 2025, and police told Brooklyn Paper that a 26-year-old e-bike rider hit Luis Cruz as he crossed Franklin Street.
What We Know
On March 21, 2025, an e-bike rider hit 49-year-old pedestrian Luis Cruz on Franklin Street in Greenpoint at about 7:40 p.m. The city crash record places the crash at Franklin and India streets and records one pedestrian death. Brooklyn Paper reported, citing police, that Cruz was crossing Franklin Street midblock between India and Java streets when a 26-year-old rider hit him; Gothamist reported a witness account that Cruz had just stepped out of a double-parked car and that the rider went through a stop sign. The official vehicle entry describes a male rider traveling south and going straight on a Zooz e-bike and lists Traffic Control Disregarded as a contributing factor. Police said the rider stayed at the scene, no arrests had been made, and the investigation continued.
A Friday-night crossing ended in a fatal injury
The city crash record places the crash at Franklin Street and India Street at 7:41 p.m. and records one pedestrian killed. The fatality record identifies the person killed as a 49-year-old male pedestrian; police later identified him to reporters as Luis Cruz.
Accounts differ on the exact moments before impact. Gothamist reported that a neighborhood restaurant worker said Cruz had just stepped out of a double-parked car and that the rider went through a stop sign.
Franklin Street had a documented crash history
The crash was recorded at Franklin Street and India Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
CrashCountNYC's Franklin Street corridor view shows 157 crashes, 94 injuries, six serious injuries and one death since 2022.
Police identified the pedestrian as Luis Cruz
Police identified the man who died as Luis Cruz. Brooklyn Paper reported that Cruz was a 49-year-old Williamsburg man.
Brooklyn Paper reported that the e-bike rider was 26. The NYPD said the rider stopped and remained at the scene.
The record describes a southbound Zooz e-bike
The official vehicle entry describes a Zooz e-bike with one male rider traveling south and going straight ahead before the crash. A later official entry lists Traffic Control Disregarded as a contributing factor for the rider.
Brooklyn Paper reported that police said the e-bike had pedals, but the applicable speed class was not immediately clear.
A stop-sign allegation matched the official factor
Gothamist reported that witness Jack Collins said the rider was rushing to deliver food and went through a stop sign before the crash. Brooklyn Paper reported that it was not immediately clear how fast the rider was traveling.
The official crash record's later vehicle entry lists Traffic Control Disregarded. Police said no arrests had been made and the investigation was ongoing.