Recent severe crashes

1. Commercial Van Driver in FDNY Crash; Passenger Dies 2026-03-10T18:44:00+00:00
   AVENUE S
   Placido D'Andrea, 78, known as Butch, died while riding Access-A-Ride with his wife near their Gravesend home in a chain-reaction crash involving an FDNY ladder driver and a van driver; official crash records list 12 injured.
   At about 6:45 p.m. on March 10, 2026, police said a commercial van driver heading north on West 11th Street hit an FDNY fire truck whose crew was responding east on Avenue S in Gravesend. The crash became a chain reaction involving an Access-A-Ride bus and a Lexus SUV. Placido Dandrea, 78, a passenger in the Access-A-Ride bus, was taken to South Brooklyn Health and died. The city crash record lists one person killed and 12 people injured. Press accounts reported 11 injured, including five firefighters, while News12 reported 10 people hospitalized. The record lists traffic control disregarded; the Daily News reported competing accounts over who had the light and whether the van driver yielded.
2. School bus driver kills 11-year-old in Bath Beach crosswalk 2026-02-05T15:05:00+00:00
   23 AVE
   Amira Aminova, 11, remembered by a deli worker as a quiet regular, was killed while crossing with the signal at 23rd Ave and Bath Ave just after 3 PM; official crash records list a bus driver making a right turn.
   The crash happened just after 3 p.m. on Feb. 5, 2026, at 23rd Avenue and Bath Avenue in Bath Beach. Official crash records say Amira Aminova, 11, was crossing with the signal at the intersection while a bus driver was making a right turn, and list failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor. Police identified the driver as Wawa Aurelus, 62, and charged him with failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to exercise due care. Reports agreed the driver did not remain at the scene, while CBS reported police said he told investigators he was not aware of the crash and was not charged with leaving the scene.
3. Distracted moped rider slams teen passenger 2026-01-14T09:48:00+00:00
   86 ST
   A distracted moped rider going east on 86th Street hit parked and moving SUVs, ejecting a 15-year-old passenger and leaving him with crush injuries. Morning in Bensonhurst, and a kid paid for an adult’s inattention.
   According to the police report, a moped rider heading east on 86th Street near 24th Avenue hit a parked SUV and then an SUV driven northbound. Police recorded driver inattention and disregard of traffic control by the moped rider. A 15-year-old male passenger on the moped was ejected and suffered crush injuries to his entire body. Other occupants were listed; the report does not describe their injuries.
4. Driver and Bicyclist Collide in Brooklyn 2026-10-19T12:40:00+00:00
   23 AVE
   A bicyclist was hurt at 23rd Avenue and Benson Avenue. The report lists crush injuries to the rider’s knee, lower leg and foot.
   According to the police report, a crash involving a driver and a bicyclist occurred at 23rd Avenue and Benson Avenue in Brooklyn. The report lists the bicyclist, a 27-year-old man, as injured, with crush injuries to the knee, lower leg and foot. The driver was traveling south; the bicyclist was traveling north.
5. Pickup Driver Failed to Yield, Hit Pedestrian 2026-06-30T17:36:00+00:00
   W 12 ST
   A pickup driver failed to yield on W 12th Street and hit a 71-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She suffered a head injury.
   According to the police report, a pickup driver making a right turn hit the woman at W 12th Street and Kings Highway in Brooklyn. Police recorded failure to yield and an improper turn by the driver. The 71-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury and was semiconscious. Other occupants were listed; the report does not describe their injuries.