Police sought BMW driver after Bronx cyclist died

Police accounts differ on the crash sequence

The Daily News reported that police said the speeding driver was heading east on Bruckner Boulevard, ran a red light and struck Camera before hitting two parked cars and a Hyundai. Gothamist described a northbound driver striking Camera before the Hyundai; CBS reported the driver was southbound and hit two parked cars before Camera. ABC7 placed two unoccupied vehicles before the Hyundai and Camera, while News12 described Camera first, followed by the Hyundai and additional parked cars.

Reports differ on the BMW's color: Gothamist and ABC7 described it as black, while News12 called it white. The Daily News identified it as a 2018 BMW M550i. Gothamist described Camera's ride as an e-bike; the Daily News described it as a bicycle.

Scene reports locate the crash at Bruckner and Longwood

Detailed scene reports place the crash at Bruckner Boulevard and Longwood Avenue in the South Bronx. A later Gothamist roundup instead describes Camera crossing the Bruckner Expressway, while an earlier Gothamist report describes the boulevard as running below the expressway. The published accounts do not reconcile the difference in road location.

Camera was remembered for his work and generosity

Angelo Camera, 51, was a mechanic returning home from work, according to relatives. His partner, Vilmary Martinez, told the Daily News they had been together for 25 years and shared a 19-year-old daughter. Martinez said Camera's father taught him to repair cars and that he had worked on cars since he was 15. She also said he had commuted by bicycle to his mechanic job for more than a decade.

ABC7 and CBS reported that relatives described Camera as a father of five. Martinez recalled that he charged less for car repairs than others might, saying he would charge $400 instead of $1,000.

The driver remained at large in initial reports

EMS took Camera and the woman driving the Hyundai to Lincoln Hospital; Camera died there, and the Hyundai driver was reported in stable condition.

Reports say the BMW driver left the scene after abandoning the vehicle, but differ on how he escaped. Gothamist and CBS said he ran, while ABC7 reported that he got into another car; the Daily News described that possibility tentatively. On Aug. 19, police said they were still searching and had made no arrests.

Friends and relatives placed candles near the crash scene. Martinez told CBS, "I want justice. I want them to find the person who did this to me. They took a good man."