Passenger Dies After Exiting SUV on Belt Parkway
Rami Elsuwi, 43, was killed as a passenger in an eastbound SUV on the Belt Parkway on Jan. 8 after police said he exited through a rear window and struck a guardrail.
What We Know
Rami Elsuwi, 43, was a right-rear passenger in an eastbound SUV on the Belt Parkway shortly before 9 p.m. on Jan. 8. Police told reporters he exited through the rear passenger window near the 92nd Street pedestrian bridge and struck his head on a guardrail. EMS pronounced him dead at the scene. City crash records list one motorist killed and no other injuries. The Daily News reported that a 69-year-old driver knew Elsuwi and often drove him on errands, including to look at properties. Police said the reason Elsuwi exited had not been determined; the Daily News, citing sources, reported investigators suspected self-harm. Brooklyn Reporter said the driver remained at the scene and no arrests had been made.
What police said happened on the Belt Parkway
Police said Rami Elsuwi, a 43-year-old passenger in a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, exited through the right rear passenger window while a 69-year-old man was driving east on the Belt Parkway near 92nd Street around 9 p.m. Elsuwi struck his head on a guardrail.
EMS pronounced Elsuwi dead at the scene. City crash records list one motorist killed and no other injuries, with the fatality recorded as a right-rear passenger in an eastbound SUV.
Near the 92nd Street pedestrian bridge in Bay Ridge
The crash was recorded on the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. Police and local reports placed it near the 92nd Street pedestrian bridge in Bay Ridge.
The Daily News reported that Elsuwi was about a mile from home when he died.
Elsuwi and the driver knew each other, reports said
Brooklyn Reporter identified Elsuwi as a Bay Ridge resident. The Daily News, citing sources, reported that the 69-year-old driver knew him and was frequently hired by him to help with errands, including trips to view properties.
The Daily News also reported, citing sources, that Elsuwi was facing eviction, had panic attacks, and had a pregnant wife.
Police had not settled why he exited
Police told reporters they had not determined why Elsuwi exited through the window. The Daily News, citing sources, reported investigators suspected self-harm; the reviewed reports did not present that as a final official finding.
The driver remained and the investigation continued
Brooklyn Reporter reported that the driver remained at the scene. The outlet also reported that no arrests had been made and the investigation remained ongoing.