Third Avenue: Two Miles, Too Many Graves

Apr 24 - Council pushes Albany to force speed limiters on chronic speeders. The move targets reckless drivers. Streets stay deadly while the bill sits in committee. Pedestrians and cyclists wait for action.

Resolution 0854-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, urges passage of S.7621/A.7979. The measure calls for 'requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by nine co-sponsors including Yusef Salaam and Shahana Hanif. The bill landed in committee on April 24, 2025, with no vote yet. If passed at the state level, it would force repeat speeders to install devices that block speeding. The Council’s action highlights the ongoing risk to vulnerable road users as reckless drivers remain unchecked.

• File Res 0854-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-24

Apr 24 - Council pushes Albany to force speed limiters on chronic speeders. The move targets reckless drivers. Streets stay deadly while the bill sits in committee. Pedestrians and cyclists wait for action.

Resolution 0854-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, urges passage of S.7621/A.7979. The measure calls for 'requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by nine co-sponsors including Yusef Salaam and Shahana Hanif. The bill landed in committee on April 24, 2025, with no vote yet. If passed at the state level, it would force repeat speeders to install devices that block speeding. The Council’s action highlights the ongoing risk to vulnerable road users as reckless drivers remain unchecked.

• File Res 0854-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-24

Apr 24 - A 101-year-old woman crossed with the light. An SUV turned left. The driver was unlicensed. She died days later. Her family mourns. The street remains the same.

According to the New York Post (April 24, 2025), Taibel Brod, 101, was fatally struck by a 2023 GMC Yukon while crossing Brooklyn Avenue at Montgomery Street in Crown Heights. Police say Brod had the light. The driver, Menachem Shagalow, 65, was unlicensed and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation and failure to exercise due care. The article quotes Brod's grandson: "She was extremely independent till her last day." Brod died less than two weeks after the crash. The incident highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians, especially from unlicensed drivers. Shagalow was released with a desk appearance ticket. The case underscores persistent gaps in enforcement and street design that leave vulnerable road users exposed.

• Unlicensed Driver Kills Brooklyn Matriarch, New York Post, Published 2025-04-24

Apr 23 - Taibel Brod crossed with the light. The SUV turned left, struck her. She fell. Two weeks later, she died. The driver had no license. Police charged him. The street stayed open. The city moved on.

NY Daily News reported on April 23, 2025, that Taibel Brod, 101, was killed after an SUV hit her while she crossed Montgomery St. in Crown Heights with the walk signal. The driver, Menachem Shagalow, turned left without a license and struck Brod. Police charged him with aggravated unlicensed operation and failure to exercise due care. The article quotes Brod’s son, who called the crash a "tragedy." Brod died from her injuries nearly two weeks later. The case highlights persistent dangers for pedestrians, especially from unlicensed drivers and left turns at intersections. No changes to the street were reported.

• Unlicensed SUV Driver Kills Brooklyn Elder, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-23

Apr 18 - A cyclist hit a stopped SUV on 54th Street. He flew from his bike, struck his head, and bled on the pavement. Police cite driver distraction. Three others in cars were not hurt.

A cyclist was injured after colliding with the back of a stopped SUV near 54th Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the cyclist was ejected from his bike and suffered head wounds and severe lacerations. Three vehicle occupants were unhurt. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. Helmet use was listed as 'Unknown' and is noted only after the driver error. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction, as documented in the official account.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806587 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 17 - SUV turned left on 4th Ave. Cyclist hit, thrown, shoulder fractured. Streets in Brooklyn stay brutal for those on two wheels.

A cyclist riding north on 4th Ave at 42nd Street in Brooklyn was struck by an SUV making a left turn. According to the police report, the cyclist was ejected and suffered a fractured shoulder and dislocation. The SUV’s right side doors were damaged. The report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are noted in the data. The cyclist’s use of safety equipment is unknown. No injuries to the SUV occupants were specified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806378 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 16 - A RAM van struck a 60-year-old woman crossing 3rd Avenue. Blood pooled on the street. The driver, distracted, kept his license. The van showed no damage. The woman suffered severe leg bleeding.

A 60-year-old woman was hit by a RAM van while crossing 3rd Avenue at 42nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the driver was distracted and struck the woman as he turned. The woman suffered severe bleeding to her leg but remained conscious. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The van showed no damage. The driver kept his license. No injuries were reported for the van's occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806114 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 16 - Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez indicted a repeat speeder for killing three. He slammed weak laws. Tickets pile up, but drivers dodge real punishment. Gonzalez backed a bill for speed limiters on chronic offenders. He demanded action to stop reckless driving and protect lives.

On April 16, 2025, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez issued a forceful statement after indicting Miriam Yarimi, a repeat speeder, for killing three family members in Brooklyn. Gonzalez criticized New York’s laws, saying, 'The law is very restrictive in allowing district attorney’s to pursue murder charges in these types of cases.' He noted Yarimi’s 21 speeding and five red-light tickets did not trigger license points or insurance penalties. Gonzalez questioned why the NYPD cannot seize cars based on repeated violations and called for legislative change. He endorsed State Sen. Andrew Gounardes’s bill (S7621), which would require speed limiter technology for drivers with six or more automated enforcement tickets in a year, describing it as a way to fight 'violent car culture.' Gonzalez urged lawmakers to make it easier to prosecute and prevent reckless driving, centering the deadly risk to families and vulnerable road users.

• Brooklyn DA Lays Out Why Roads Are Unsafe, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-16

Apr 16 - New research from Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets announced a report detailing NYC's top 10 super speeders.

• Road report: Here’s where lead-foot drivers repeatedly get speed-camera tickets in NYC, The Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-04-16

Apr 15 - A sedan struck a cyclist at 4th Avenue and 56th Street. The cyclist suffered a head abrasion. No injuries reported for car occupants. Police list contributing factors as unspecified.

A crash on 4th Avenue at 56th Street in Brooklyn left a 35-year-old cyclist injured. According to the police report, a sedan making a left turn collided with the cyclist, who was going straight. The cyclist sustained a head abrasion. No injuries were reported for the sedan's occupants. Police listed contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specified in the report. Helmet use was not listed as a contributing factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806116 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 14 - Two SUVs slammed together near 36th Street. A man gripped his shoulder. A woman’s neck snapped back. A toddler rode unbelted on a lap. Children sat silent in the back. Metal and glass, pain and fear.

Two SUVs crashed on 3rd Avenue near 36th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one SUV was turning left while the other went straight. A 36-year-old man suffered a shoulder injury. A 36-year-old woman sustained whiplash. A toddler, unbelted and riding on a lap, was among several children in the vehicles. The report lists no specific driver errors, only 'Unspecified' contributing factors. No further details on helmet or signal use appear in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805876 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 13 - Two SUVs and a sedan collided on the Gowanus Expressway. Three people hurt. Police cite unsafe speed. Shock and pain followed. Metal twisted. The road stayed open. The danger did not end.

Three vehicles—a sedan and two SUVs—collided on the Gowanus Expressway in Brooklyn. According to the police report, three people were injured: a 21-year-old male driver with leg injuries, a 34-year-old female passenger with pain and shock, and a 29-year-old male driver also in shock. Police list 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The report does not mention helmet or signal use. The crash left metal bent and bodies shaken, with the cause rooted in speed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806100 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 11 - SUV turned right at unsafe speed. E-bike rider struck, injured in leg. Brooklyn night, metal and flesh. Police cite unsafe speed. Streets unforgiving.

An SUV making a right turn at unsafe speed collided with an e-bike on 24th Street in Brooklyn. The 20-year-old e-bike rider suffered a leg injury and was in shock. According to the police report, 'Unsafe Speed' was listed as the contributing factor. Both the SUV driver and a passenger were involved but not seriously hurt. The e-bike rider wore a helmet, as noted in the report. The crash underscores the danger when drivers move too fast for city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805104 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 10 - A 53-year-old woman was hit by a bike on 53rd Street. She suffered a facial abrasion. The cyclist was 17, unlicensed, and uninjured. Police cited confusion as a factor.

A 53-year-old pedestrian was injured when a 17-year-old cyclist struck her on 53rd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the woman was getting on or off a vehicle when the crash occurred. She suffered a facial abrasion and was in shock. The cyclist, who was unlicensed and riding south, was not injured. Police listed 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. No other driver errors were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804794 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 10 - Council passed a law forcing DOT to post sharp, regular updates on street safety projects. Progress on bike lanes, bus lanes, and signals must go public. No more hiding delays or cost overruns. The city must show its work.

Bill Int 1105-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced November 13, 2024, it passed Council on April 10, 2025, and became law May 10, 2025. The bill's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' Council Member Julie Won led sponsorship, joined by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others. The law demands DOT post annual and monthly updates on every project tied to the master plan—listing details, timelines, funding, and setbacks. This law brings sunlight to street safety work, making the city answer for every mile and missed deadline.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-10

Apr 10 - A driver ran a stop sign in East New York. He slammed into a school bus. His passenger died. The bus driver was hurt. The driver fled but police caught him. The street stayed stained. The system failed to protect.

According to amNY (April 10, 2025), Tyree Epps faces charges after a deadly crash at Van Sinderen and Blake avenues. Epps, unlicensed, "blew a stop sign" and struck a school bus, killing his passenger, Imani Vance, and injuring the bus driver. The article quotes Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez: "The tragic loss of Imani Vance was allegedly caused by the defendant's reckless decision to ignore a stop sign and drive at excessive speeds." Epps left the scene, tried to escape in an Uber, and was arrested after fleeing on foot. The crash was one of three fatal Brooklyn incidents that weekend. City data cited in the article shows ongoing danger: at least 15 killed in Kings County so far this year, with thousands injured, often due to driver inattention and failure to yield. The charges and details highlight persistent risks and enforcement gaps on city streets.

• Brooklyn Hit-And-Run Kills Passenger, amny, Published 2025-04-10

Apr 10 - Senate bill S 7336 pushes more speed cameras and targets hidden plates. Sponsors want sharper eyes on reckless drivers. School zones stay under watch. The city’s most vulnerable stay exposed.

Senate bill S 7336, now in sponsorship, aims to expand photo speed violation monitoring in New York City. The bill, titled 'Relates to the use of certain photo speed violation monitoring systems for the purposes of enforcement of license plate obstruction; repealer,' lets cameras catch drivers who hide or alter plates and extends speed camera use in school zones. Senator Andrew Gounardes leads, joined by Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Luis R. Sepúlveda. The bill’s focus: more enforcement, less evasion. No safety analyst note yet, but the intent is clear—more eyes on the street, more pressure on reckless drivers.

• File S 7336, Open States, Published 2025-04-10

Apr 9 - SUV hit a cyclist on 4th Avenue. The rider suffered a leg injury. Three car occupants listed, none hurt. Police list contributing factors as unspecified. The street stays dangerous.

A collision on 4th Avenue at 21st Street in Brooklyn left a 40-year-old cyclist injured in the leg. According to the police report, a station wagon/SUV and a bike were both traveling north when they collided. The cyclist was hurt, suffering an abrasion to the knee, while three SUV occupants were uninjured. Police list all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are specified in the report. The crash highlights the ongoing risks for cyclists on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805086 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 9 - A driver ran a stop sign in East New York. He slammed into a school bus. His passenger died. The bus driver was hurt. The driver fled in an Uber. Police caught him soon after. Streets remain unforgiving.

Gothamist (April 9, 2025) reports that Tyree Epps, 32, was indicted after allegedly running a stop sign and crashing into a school bus in East New York, Brooklyn. The February collision killed his 26-year-old passenger, Imani Vance, and injured the bus driver. According to the Brooklyn DA, Epps "ignored a stop sign and drove at excessive speeds," then left the scene by calling an Uber, abandoning his injured passenger. The impact pushed the bus into a third, empty vehicle. No children on the bus were harmed. Epps was apprehended after fleeing on foot. The case highlights persistent dangers at intersections and the lethal consequences of ignoring traffic controls.

• Brooklyn Hit-And-Run Kills Passenger, Gothamist, Published 2025-04-09

Apr 3 - Brooklyn’s Ashland Place stays deadly. DOT delays a promised bike lane. Elected officials and residents demand action. Private interests block progress. Cyclists face crashes and fear. The city shrugs. The gap remains. Lives hang in the balance.

On April 3, 2025, a coalition of Brooklyn officials—including Council Members Crystal Hudson, Shahana Hanif, Lincoln Restler, Assembly Members Andrew Gounardes, Jo Anne Simon, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Borough President Antonio Reynoso—sent a letter urging DOT to finish the protected bike lane on Ashland Place. The letter called the block a 'missing link in Brooklyn’s protected bike lane network.' Brooklyn Community Board 2 backed the demand. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and Borough Commissioner Keith Bray offered only vague replies. The block’s exclusion traces to a mayoral advisor’s intervention for developer Two Trees. Advocates like Kathy Park Price slammed the city: 'Private interests are able to redesign our streets, prioritizing vehicles over safety at a critical corridor.' Despite unanimous support, DOT keeps the street dangerous. The city’s inaction leaves cyclists exposed and the community frustrated.

• ‘Crashland’: As Demand Grows, DOT Still Won’t Finish Bike Lane on Dangerous Brooklyn Road, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-03