SoHo-Little Italy: Four deaths, hundreds hurt — and the cars keep coming

• German tourist killed in hit-and-run was in NYC with husband to celebrate anniversary, NY Daily News, Published 2025-09-28

• Driver charged in fatal Midtown Manhattan hit-and-run, NYPD says, CBS New York, Published 2025-09-25

• German Woman Killed by Hit and Run Driver Near Bryant Park, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-09-24

Sep 14 - Southbound on Lafayette at Grand, a driver in a sedan hit the rear of an SUV. Two women riding as passengers suffered head injuries and shock. Police recorded Following Too Closely.

Two cars collided on Lafayette Street near Grand Street in Manhattan. Both drivers were going south. The driver of a sedan hit the rear of an SUV. Two women riding as passengers, ages 57 and 51, suffered head injuries and reported shock and pain. According to the police report, police recorded "Following Too Closely" as a contributing factor. Impact points listed were the sedan's center front and the SUV's rear bumper. The SUV carried four people; the sedan carried one. No other injuries were documented in the file.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4842942 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Sep 14 - At West Houston and Broadway, a driver turned right and hit a 19-year-old in the intersection. He suffered arm abrasions and stayed conscious. Police recorded driver inattention by the driver.

According to the police report, the driver of a sedan was making a right turn from West Houston Street and hit a 19-year-old pedestrian at Broadway around midnight in Manhattan. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction by the driver. Before the turn, the driver was heading west. The point of impact was the sedan’s right front bumper. The pedestrian was listed as injured, conscious, with abrasions to the elbow, lower arm, and hand. The driver was the only occupant. The crash occurred in ZIP 10012, within the 5th Precinct.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4844694 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Sep 8 - A southbound taxi driver going straight hit a 29-year-old woman crossing with the signal near 480 W Broadway. Police note a center-front hit. She suffered leg injuries and stayed conscious. Contributing factors were listed as unspecified.

According to the police report, a southbound taxi driver going straight on W Broadway hit a 29-year-old woman who was crossing with the signal, not at an intersection. Police documented a center front-end hit. The woman suffered injuries to her lower leg and foot and was conscious at the scene. The driver’s injury status is recorded as unspecified. Police did not record any driver errors; contributing factors for all parties were listed as Unspecified. Location is reported as 480 W Broadway in Manhattan.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4840975 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

• Box cutter-wielding Mercedes driver slashes bike-riding dad in NYC road rage clash: cops, sources, New York Post, Published 2025-09-05

• Videos allegedly show ‘reckless’ NYC subway operator allowing minors to take MTA train out for a joyride, New York Post, Published 2025-09-03

Aug 31 - A sedan struck the rear of a parked taxi on Canal Street. Metal buckled. Two drivers were injured. One driver reported shock, an upper-arm injury and internal complaints. Police logged contributing factors as "Unspecified."

A sedan struck the center back end of a parked taxi at 241 Canal St in Manhattan. Two male drivers were injured. One driver, age 35, suffered shock, a shoulder/upper-arm injury and reported internal complaints. Vehicle data shows center-front damage to the sedan and center-back damage to the taxi. According to the police report, contributing factors were "Unspecified." The police record lists no specific driver errors. Both vehicles are recorded as parked pre-crash and the point-of-impact entries place the impact at the taxi’s rear and the sedan’s front.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4839496 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

• Man fatally struck by train at Harlem subway station, NY Daily News, Published 2025-08-31

Aug 23 - Two drivers recorded as inattentive clipped parked cars at 596 Broadway. Metal tore. A 24-year-old male driver suffered a neck injury and abrasion. Police listed Driver Inattention/Distraction and Unsafe Speed for the drivers.

According to the police report, a Kia sedan and a Tesla taxi, both listed as parked pre-crash at 596 Broadway in Manhattan, sustained impact damage: the Kia at the left front bumper and the taxi at the right rear quarter panel. Police recorded Driver Inattention/Distraction and Unsafe Speed as contributing factors for the drivers. A 24-year-old male driver was injured, reported a neck injury and an abrasion, and was conscious at the scene. Each involved vehicle had one occupant recorded and both vehicles were listed as parked before the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4837171 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Aug 20 - A taxi drove south and hit a westbound cyclist at Mercer and West Houston. The crash cut her leg. She stayed conscious. The car kept its nose clean; her body paid. A control was ignored. Streets turned sharp and small.

A southbound taxi and a westbound cyclist collided at Mercer St and W Houston St in Manhattan. The 31-year-old bicyclist suffered severe leg lacerations and was conscious. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Traffic Control Disregarded.” The data shows the taxi’s center front hit the bike’s left front, indicating the motorist drove straight into the cyclist’s path. These are driver errors that endanger people outside the car. Only after those failures does the record note the cyclist listed “None” for safety equipment, which did not cause the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836490 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Aug 8 - A driver sped at 109 mph. Concrete barriers now ring the crash site. DOT will shrink lanes and cut speed limits. Change comes slow. Pedestrians and cyclists paid the price.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-08-08) reports DOT will install concrete barriers and narrow lanes at Manhattan Bridge's Canal Street exit after a driver killed a cyclist and pedestrian at 109 mph. DOT plans to lower the speed limit from 35 to 20 mph, pending public comment. The article notes, 'the bridge currently functions like a Mario Kart-style speed boost.' DOT will also 'fast-track community engagement on a full redesign.' The crash highlights the danger of wide lanes and high speeds at a busy pedestrian crossing. Policy changes lagged until tragedy forced action.

• DOT Lowers Speed, Adds Barriers On Canal, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 7 - A stolen car tore through Canal and Bowery. Two lives ended. One sat on a bench. One rode a bike. The city now promises changes. Steel and speed met flesh. The street stays dangerous.

NY1 reported on August 7, 2025, that after a deadly crash at Canal Street and Bowery, the city will upgrade the intersection. On July 19, a stolen car, allegedly driven over 100 mph, killed Kevin Cruickshank and May Kwok. Kwok was sitting on a bench. Cruickshank rode his bike on the sidewalk. The article quotes authorities: 'A stolen vehicle, allegedly driven at more than 100 miles per hour...crashed into them.' The crash highlights risks from reckless driving and exposes gaps in street design. The Department of Transportation now plans safety improvements.

• Deadly Crash Spurs Chinatown Upgrades, NY1, Published 2025-08-07

Aug 6 - A man lay on Harlem tracks. The northbound 5 train struck him. He died at the scene. Police found no crime. His name remains unknown. Subway lines stalled. The system moved on.

NY Daily News (2025-08-06) reports a 47-year-old man was killed by a northbound 5 train at 125th St. station in Harlem. Police said, "The man was unconscious and unresponsive on the tracks." No arrests were made. The cause of his presence on the tracks is unclear. Police stated, "There was no criminality." The incident halted 4 and 5 trains. The case highlights ongoing dangers for people in subway spaces and the lack of platform barriers.

• Man Killed By Train At Harlem Station, NY Daily News, Published 2025-08-06

Aug 3 - A driver struck a cyclist at West 181st and Cabrini. The driver fled. The cyclist went to the hospital. The street stayed open. The danger stayed real.

CBS New York (2025-08-03) reports a bicyclist was hospitalized after a hit-and-run at West 181st Street and Cabrini Boulevard in Washington Heights. The crash happened just after noon. The driver left the scene, leaving the cyclist injured. The article states, "A bicyclist was hospitalized after being injured in a hit and run." No details on the driver or vehicle were released. The incident highlights ongoing risks for cyclists and the persistent issue of drivers fleeing crash scenes in New York City.

• Cyclist Hospitalized After Hit-And-Run Uptown, CBS New York, Published 2025-08-03

Jul 29 - City, BIDs, and agencies plan a $3 million study to reshape 14th Street. The goal: safer space for walkers, cyclists, and buses. The busway may become permanent. Cars lose ground. Change moves slow.

New York Magazine - Curbed (2025-07-29) reports city officials and business groups will fund a $3 million, two-year study to redesign 14th Street. The plan aims for a 'complete street'—space for pedestrians, cyclists, transit, and limited cars. The article notes, 'Their (mostly) shared goal is to make 14th into what's often called a complete street.' The study will assess traffic flow and street dynamics. The busway, which restricts cars, may become permanent. No crash or injury data is cited, but the focus is on systemic street changes, not individual driver actions.

• City Eyes Overhaul For 14th Street, New York Magazine - Curbed, Published 2025-07-29

Jul 27 - A teen drove drunk, wrong-way, head-on into a car. Two men died. The driver fled. The city failed to stop him. A wedding became a funeral.

According to the New York Post (2025-07-27), a 17-year-old allegedly drank at a Midtown club, then drove the wrong way on the Henry Hudson Parkway. He crashed head-on into Kirk Walker and Rob McLaurin, killing both. The teen, Jimmy Connors, fled, leaving his injured passenger. The article states, “Walker, 38, was one day from his wedding when he and McLaurin were killed.” An off-duty NYPD officer pursued Connors but did not call 911. The lawsuit names the driver, club, NYPD, and city, raising questions about underage drinking enforcement and police response. Connors faces charges including second-degree murder.

• Wrong-Way Crash Kills Groom-To-Be, New York Post, Published 2025-07-27

Jul 24 - A firefighter fell from his motorcycle on FDR Drive. A car struck him and fled. He died at Bellevue. The driver did not stop. Police are investigating. No arrests. The city lost a rescuer. The road remains dangerous.

Gothamist (2025-07-24) reports that Matthew Goicochea, 31, fell from his motorcycle on FDR Drive near East 25th Street and was struck by a vehicle that left the scene. Police said, "an unknown vehicle hit his motorcycle moments later and left the scene." The NYPD Highway Collision Investigation Squad is investigating. No arrests have been made. The driver’s failure to remain highlights persistent hit-and-run risks on city highways. The incident underscores ongoing dangers for vulnerable road users and the need for systemic safety improvements.

• Firefighter Killed After FDR Drive Crash, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-24

Jul 22 - A driver tore through Midtown, smashing cars and fleeing police. Metal scraped. Horns blared. The chase ended at Lexington and 50th. Police drew guns. The driver was arrested. Streets bore the scars.

According to ABC7 (2025-07-22), a driver struck multiple vehicles—including a police cruiser—while fleeing police through Midtown Manhattan. The pursuit began after a hit at Park Ave and ended at 50th and Lexington. The suspect, Jose Foster, faces charges including assault, reckless endangerment, and fleeing police. Witness Martina Minor said, "It felt like he was scratching like big noise and I was honking like stop and he kept doing it." The incident highlights the risks of high-speed chases in dense city streets, with property damage and potential harm to bystanders.

• Police Chase Wrecks Cars In Midtown, ABC7, Published 2025-07-22