Downtown Brooklyn bleeds at the seams: Tillary, Flatbush, Atlantic

Mar 30 - A reckless driver with a long record ran a red light on Ocean Parkway. She killed a mother and two children. The crash left another child fighting for life. Advocates demand action. The system failed to stop a known danger.

On March 30, 2025, police charged Miriam Yarimi after she sped through a red light on Ocean Parkway, killing Natasha Saada and her two daughters, ages 5 and 8. The crash also left a 4-year-old boy in critical condition. Yarimi faces manslaughter, negligent homicide, assault, reckless driving, and more. Her license was suspended. Her car had 99 violations in a year, including 21 speeding and five red-light tickets. Advocates, including Ben Furnas of Transportation Alternatives, blame Albany’s delay in passing Senator Andrew Gounardes’s bill to require speed-limiting devices for repeat offenders. Furnas said, “If Albany had passed this bill when it was first introduced, this vehicle would already have been speed limited and this crash would never have happened.” The bill remains pending. Advocates will rally at the crash site, demanding urgent action to protect lives.

• Recidivist Driver Who Killed Three on Ocean Parkway Has Been Charged, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-30

Mar 30 - An unlicensed driver sped through a red light on Ocean Parkway. She struck a mother and her three children in the crosswalk. The mother and two daughters died. The son remains in critical condition. The street filled with chaos and grief.

According to NY Daily News (published March 30, 2025), Miriam Yarimi drove with a suspended license and ran a red light on Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, striking a mother and her three children as they crossed legally. Yarimi's Audi, with a history of 21 speed camera and five red light tickets, collided with another car before careening into the family. She was charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, reckless driving, and aggravated unlicensed operation. The crash killed Natasha Saada and her daughters, Deborah and Diana; Saada's son remains in critical condition. The article quotes a relative: 'It's a very sensitive time for us, for our community and for our family.' The case highlights repeated driver violations and the dangers of unlicensed, reckless driving on city streets.

• Unlicensed Driver Kills Brooklyn Family, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-30

Mar 29 - A mother and two daughters died in a Brooklyn crosswalk. A third child clings to life. Ten hurt. The Audi driver, license suspended, rear-ended a car, then plowed into pedestrians. Ocean Parkway’s speed and lawlessness left a family shattered.

ABC7 reported on March 29, 2025, that a mother and her two children were killed while crossing Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. According to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the crash was "caused by someone who shouldn't have been on the road." The Audi driver, Mariam Yarimi, 32, had a suspended license. She rear-ended a Toyota Camry, sending her car airborne into a family in the crosswalk. The mother and two daughters died at the scene; a four-year-old boy was critically injured. Ten people were hospitalized. Residents cited chronic speeding and red-light running on Ocean Parkway. Authorities are investigating speed, possible red-light running, and impairment. No arrests have been made. The crash highlights persistent dangers for pedestrians and systemic failures in traffic enforcement.

• Brooklyn Crosswalk Crash Kills Family, ABC7, Published 2025-03-29

Mar 23 - Luis Cruz stepped from his car. An e-bike delivery worker sped through a stop sign. The crash was sudden. Cruz died on the street. The rider stayed. The intersection has seen this before. The system pushes speed. The danger remains.

Gothamist reported on March 23, 2025, that Luis Cruz, 49, died after an e-bike delivery worker "sped through a stop sign" and struck him as he exited his double-parked car in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Witness Jack Collins said, "He died basically on the spot." The e-bike rider remained at the scene. No arrests were made. The article notes this intersection is known for frequent stop sign violations: "It's not a unicorn incident. It's happened a lot." The piece highlights systemic issues, including delivery app pressures and gaps in e-bike regulation. City data shows e-bikes account for less than 2% of traffic deaths, but the policy debate continues. Lawmakers have called for tighter rules, as delivery workers face incentives to rush.

• E-Bike Rider Runs Stop, Kills Pedestrian, Gothamist, Published 2025-03-23

Mar 19 - A pedestrian crossing with the signal was struck by an SUV traveling west on Jay Street. The impact caused knee and lower leg injuries, leaving the man bruised but conscious. The driver failed to yield right-of-way at the intersection.

According to the police report, an SUV traveling westbound on Jay Street struck a 45-year-old male pedestrian who was crossing with the signal at the intersection with Sands Street. The pedestrian sustained injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, described as contusions and bruises, and remained conscious after the collision. The point of impact was the center front end of the vehicle. The report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor on the driver's part. The vehicle showed no damage despite the collision. The pedestrian's crossing with the signal is noted but not listed as a contributing factor. The driver’s failure to yield created the conditions for this injury-producing crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4799948 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Mar 18 - A 20-year-old woman suffered knee and lower leg injuries after a bus struck her at a Brooklyn intersection. The bus was making a right turn when the collision occurred. Faulty traffic control devices contributed to the crash, according to police.

According to the police report, a bus traveling west on Boerum Place in Brooklyn struck a 20-year-old female pedestrian who was crossing with the signal at the intersection near Atlantic Avenue. The pedestrian sustained injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, described as contusions and bruises, and remained conscious after the crash. The bus was making a right turn when the collision occurred, impacting the pedestrian at the bus's right rear quarter panel. The report cites a contributing factor of 'Traffic Control Device Improper/Non-Working,' indicating a failure in traffic signal operation that played a role in the crash. The bus driver was licensed and operating the vehicle at the time. No vehicle damage was reported. The pedestrian's crossing with the signal is noted, but the primary contributing factor was the malfunctioning traffic control device.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4799682 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Mar 11 - Two SUVs collided on Tillary Street in Brooklyn. The impact struck the center front and right side doors. The 27-year-old male driver suffered a head abrasion but remained conscious. Police cite traffic control disregard as the cause.

According to the police report, two station wagons/SUVs collided at the intersection of Tillary Street and Adams Street in Brooklyn at 16:12. Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead—one westbound, the other northbound—when the collision occurred. The point of impact was the center front end of the westbound SUV and the right side doors of the northbound SUV. The report identifies 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the contributing factor, indicating a failure by at least one driver to obey traffic signals or signs. The 27-year-old male driver of the westbound SUV, who was wearing a lap belt, sustained a head abrasion but was conscious and not ejected. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798029 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Mar 8 - A driver out on bail smashed into a Toyota in Bushwick. The crash killed Hayden Wallace and injured three others. The driver fled, leaving chaos behind. Police tracked him for over a year. Charges stack up, but the loss remains.

NY Daily News (March 8, 2025) reports that Christopher Seabrook, 28, was arrested after a deadly hit-and-run in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Seabrook had been out on bail for a previous crash involving police. On January 8, 2024, he crashed into a Toyota, killing Hayden Wallace and injuring three others. Seabrook fled the scene, abandoning his vehicle. The article notes, "All accidents are useless but this one was even more useless because [Seabrook] had so many other offenses." Seabrook faces 23 charges, including manslaughter, leaving the scene, unlicensed driving, and speeding. The case highlights repeated driver offenses and questions about bail and enforcement. Police needed over a year to arrest Seabrook, who had a history of fleeing crashes and driving without a license.

• Repeat Offender Kills Passenger In Brooklyn Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-08

Mar 7 - Two vehicles merging eastbound on Tillary Street collided at the left and right front quarters. A rear passenger suffered back injuries and whiplash. Police cited improper passing and following too closely as contributing factors in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 13:35 on Tillary Street in Brooklyn. A 2023 SUV and a 2022 sedan, both traveling eastbound and merging, collided with impact on the left front quarter panel of the SUV and the right front quarter panel of the sedan. The report identifies 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors to the collision. A 50-year-old female occupant seated in the left rear passenger position of one vehicle sustained back injuries and whiplash, classified as injury severity level 3. She was conscious and not ejected from the vehicle. The driver errors of improper lane merging and close following created the conditions for this crash, with no victim behaviors noted as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797263 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Mar 3 - A dump truck turned right on Withers Street. It struck a man crouched in the road. The driver fled. The man died at Elmhurst Hospital. Police are still investigating. Brooklyn’s streets claim more lives. The toll grows.

Gothamist reported on March 3, 2025, that a dump truck driver fatally struck a man in his 20s on Withers Street near Woodpoint Road in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The man was 'crouched in the street to pick up food' when the northbound truck turned right and hit him, according to NYPD officials. The driver, a 49-year-old man, left the scene. No arrests have been made. The NYPD's Collision Investigation Squad is investigating. The article notes this crash followed two other recent fatal collisions in Brooklyn. The incident underscores persistent dangers for pedestrians and ongoing issues with drivers leaving crash scenes. NYPD data shows at least 10 traffic deaths in Brooklyn so far this year, matching last year’s pace.

• Dump Truck Kills Pedestrian In Williamsburg, Gothamist, Published 2025-03-03

Mar 2 - A man sped through a stop sign in Brownsville. His Mercedes hit a school bus. His passenger died. He ran from the wreck in a taxi. Police found him later. The victim’s family mourns. The street remains unchanged.

NY Daily News reported on March 2, 2025, that Tyree Epps, 32, drove a Mercedes-Benz without a license, ran a stop sign on Van Sinderen Ave, and crashed into a school bus. The article states, “After the crash, Epps hopped in a taxi and took off, leaving his 26-year-old passenger, Imani Vance, in the front seat suffering severe head trauma.” Epps faces charges of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene, and unlicensed driving. The bus driver survived. The crash exposes ongoing risks from unlicensed, reckless drivers and the persistent danger at city intersections. The victim’s family is left to grieve and organize a funeral, while the intersection remains a site of loss.

• Unlicensed Driver Flees Fatal Brooklyn Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-02

Mar 1 - A Kia slammed into a Toyota on Stockholm Street. Hayden Wallace, 29, died. Two friends survived with critical wounds. The driver fled. Police arrested Christopher Seabrook. The crash left a new life cut short, a city shaken.

According to the NY Daily News (published March 1, 2025), Christopher Seabrook, 28, was arrested for the hit-and-run crash that killed Hayden Wallace, 29, in Bushwick on January 8, 2024. Seabrook allegedly crashed a Kia Sportage into a Toyota Yaris carrying Wallace and friends, then fled the scene on foot. Wallace died; two others were critically injured. The Toyota’s driver was also charged with driving without a license. Seabrook faces charges including manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and leaving the scene. The article quotes Wallace’s aunt: “He lived life to the fullest. He was only 29 years old and lit up every room he entered.” The case highlights the deadly consequences of reckless driving and fleeing crash scenes in New York City.

• Bushwick Hit-And-Run Kills Passenger, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-01

Feb 28 - A sedan struck a stopped SUV on Flatbush Avenue. A woman in the rear seat died, her chest crushed. Two vehicles, one still, one moving. The night’s silence broken by impact. No forgiveness, only loss.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling south on Flatbush Avenue collided with the center rear of a stationary SUV near State Street in Brooklyn at 23:04. The SUV was stopped in traffic when the sedan, described as 'going straight ahead,' struck it. A 45-year-old woman, seated unbelted in the right rear passenger seat of the SUV, was killed. The report states her chest was crushed in the impact. The narrative reads: 'A woman, 45, unbelted in the rear seat, died when a sedan struck their stopped SUV. Her chest crushed. Two cars, one still, one moving.' No contributing factors are specified in the police data, but the sequence of events centers on the moving sedan striking a stopped vehicle. The report does not cite any passenger behavior as a contributing factor, listing only 'Unspecified' for contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4795527 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Feb 28 - A drunk driver blasted through a red light at 72 mph. He struck Katherine Harris, killing her steps from home. The car crashed on. Blood alcohol twice the limit. The street became a crime scene. Lives shattered in seconds.

NY Daily News reported on February 28, 2025, that Erick Trujillo, 29, was sentenced to three to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter. On April 16, 2023, Trujillo drove his Volvo at 72 mph—nearly triple the speed limit—through a red light at Atlantic Ave and Clinton Street in Brooklyn. He struck pedestrian Katherine Harris, 31, killing her instantly, then rear-ended another car and crashed into an outdoor dining shed. Trujillo's blood alcohol level was .17, more than twice the legal limit. The article quotes Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez: "This defendant made a disastrous decision when he got behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated." The case highlights the lethal consequences of impaired driving and excessive speed, underscoring systemic risks for pedestrians in New York City.

• Drunk Driver Speeds, Kills Pedestrian in Brooklyn, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-28

Feb 22 - SUV and sedan collided on Atlantic Ave. Aggressive driving and tailgating led to impact. Driver and rear passenger hurt. Whiplash and leg bruises. Both conscious. Both wore lap belts.

According to the police report, a crash occurred at 21:05 on Atlantic Avenue at Nevins Street in Brooklyn. A Tesla sedan rear-ended an Audi SUV. The report lists 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors. The Tesla driver, a 38-year-old man, suffered whiplash. A 24-year-old woman in the rear seat sustained bruises to her knee and lower leg. Both were conscious and wore lap belts. The report highlights driver errors as causes. No blame is placed on those injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4794216 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Feb 20 - A female driver suffered neck injuries after her sedan was struck from behind by an SUV on the Brooklyn Bridge. The impact caused whiplash and right rear bumper damage. The crash exposed dangers of tailgating in heavy traffic corridors.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 7:15 PM on the Brooklyn Bridge involving two northbound vehicles: a 2018 Nissan SUV and a 2016 Ford sedan. The SUV struck the sedan's left front bumper with its right rear quarter panel. The report cites 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor, indicating the SUV driver failed to maintain a safe distance. The sedan driver, a 34-year-old woman, was conscious but sustained neck injuries consistent with whiplash. She was wearing a lap belt and was not ejected. Both drivers were licensed in New York. Vehicle damage was noted on the SUV's right rear bumper and the sedan's center front end. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved. The collision highlights the risks posed by driver errors such as tailgating on busy urban bridges.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4794206 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Feb 19 - A 27-year-old bicyclist suffered a shoulder injury when a vehicle disregarded traffic control on Hoyt Street in Brooklyn. The driver made a left turn, striking the cyclist who was traveling southeast. The impact caused bruising and upper arm injury.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Hoyt Street near Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn at 11:30 AM. The bicyclist, a 27-year-old male, was injured with a contusion and upper arm shoulder injury. The report states the contributing factor was 'Traffic Control Disregarded,' indicating the driver failed to obey traffic signals or signs. The vehicle involved was making a left turn and struck the bicyclist at the center front end, causing damage to the vehicle's left front bumper. The bicyclist was not ejected and was conscious after the crash. No safety equipment was reported on the bicyclist. The other vehicle involved showed no damage and was traveling straight ahead. Driver error in disregarding traffic control was the primary cause of the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4794237 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Feb 19 - Trump killed congestion pricing. The MTA sued. Advocates warn: more cars, more crashes, dirtier air. Transit funding gutted. Disabled riders lose elevators. Streets grow deadlier. Politicians vow to fight. The city braces for gridlock and loss.

""By blocking this successful policy, Trump will be directly responsible for more traffic, more crashes, more polluted air, slower buses and less funding for our transit system," he continued. "This means no new station elevators for elderly and disabled riders, and no new subway signals to speed up commutes for working New Yorkers."" -- Andrew Gounardes

On February 19, 2025, the Trump administration withdrew federal approval for New York City's congestion pricing program. U.S. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy cited burdens on working-class drivers and questioned the legality of using toll revenue for transit. The MTA immediately filed a lawsuit to challenge the move, arguing the program is settled law and already reduces congestion. State Senators Andrew Gounardes and Zellnor Myrie condemned the action, warning, 'Trump will be directly responsible for more traffic, more crashes, more polluted air, slower buses and less funding for our transit system.' The withdrawal aligns with New Jersey's opposition and threatens transit upgrades like elevators for elderly and disabled riders. Local officials and advocates say ending congestion pricing will harm vulnerable road users and worsen street danger.

• Trump Withdraws Federal Approval for Congestion Pricing, Blowing Hole in Transit Budget, as MTA Files Lawsuit, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-02-19

Feb 18 - A BMW X5 veered off Belt Parkway near Exit 14. The SUV struck a tree. Marcus Joseph, 41, died at the scene. No passengers. No bystanders hurt. The crash left only silence and wreckage on the Brooklyn road.

NY Daily News (2025-02-18) reports Marcus Joseph, 41, died after his BMW X5 spun out of control on the Belt Parkway near Exit 14 in Starrett City, Brooklyn. Police said the SUV 'skidded off the road and slammed into a tree.' Joseph was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The article does not mention weather or road conditions. The incident highlights the dangers of high-speed corridors like the Belt Parkway, where loss of control can prove fatal. No charges were filed. The report underscores the persistent risks for all road users on New York City highways.

• BMW Skids, Slams Tree On Belt Parkway, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-18

Feb 18 - Assembly bill A 5623 would make parking in crosswalks a crime. Drivers who block pedestrian paths face misdemeanor charges. Law aims to keep crossings clear. Pedestrians get space. Streets breathe.

Assembly bill A 5623, titled the "New York State pedestrian right-of-way protection act," was introduced on February 18, 2025. The bill sits at the sponsorship stage. It would make it an unclassified misdemeanor to stop, stand, or park a vehicle in a pedestrian right-of-way. Jo Anne Simon (District 52) is the primary sponsor, joined by Scott Gray (District 116) and Joe DeStefano (District 3) as co-sponsors. The bill targets drivers who block crosswalks, aiming to protect pedestrian space and reduce danger at crossings. No safety analyst note is available.

• File A 5623, Open States, Published 2025-02-18