Kensington Bleeds: Four Dead, Hundreds Hurt, Leaders Stall

• Brooklyn police pursuit ends with pedestrian struck, alleged teenage car thief caught, amny, Published 2025-09-14

Aug 9 - A southbound SUV hit a 45-year-old woman crossing Ocean Parkway at Avenue C in Brooklyn. She suffered fatal head and crush injuries and was found unconscious. The driver was merging. Police list contributing factors as 'Unspecified.'

A 45-year-old woman was killed after a southbound SUV hit her while she crossed Ocean Parkway at Avenue C in Brooklyn. According to the police report, she suffered head injuries, was found unconscious, and had crush wounds. The driver was merging at the time. Police list contributing factors as 'Unspecified' and do not record a specific driver error. The SUV took center-front-end damage. The report records the pedestrian as not at an intersection and crossing; the driver was licensed and the sole occupant in the vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833650 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 4 - A tractor truck and an SUV collided on McDonald Avenue at Church Avenue in Brooklyn. A 62-year-old truck driver suffered neck and internal injuries. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage. Police listed contributing factors as "Unspecified".

According to the police report, a 2019 tractor truck and a 2024 SUV collided on McDonald Avenue near Church Avenue in Brooklyn. The truck was driven south going straight ahead. The SUV was driven south while merging. A 62-year-old male truck driver was injured; police listed neck and internal injuries and recorded him conscious. The SUV driver was not reported injured. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage, with impact to the truck's right front quarter panel and the SUV's left front bumper. The report lists contributing factors as "Unspecified" and does not identify a specific driver error.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832797 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 4 - On Fort Hamilton Parkway at Chester Ave, a teen driving a sedan turned right into a motorcycle going straight. The rider, 47, suffered a fractured leg and dislocation. Police recorded driver inexperience.

A crash on Fort Hamilton Parkway at Chester Ave in Brooklyn involved a sedan and a motorcycle. According to the police report, both vehicles were traveling east when the driver of the sedan made a right turn and hit the motorcycle that was going straight. The rider, a 47-year-old man, suffered a fractured lower leg and a dislocation. Police recorded Driver Inexperience as a contributing factor. The sedan was driven by a 17-year-old with a New York learner permit. Impact was to the sedan’s right front bumper and the motorcycle’s center front. No pedestrians or cyclists were listed as involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832801 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 30 - Council moves to ban parking near corners. Sightlines clear. Crashes drop. Pedestrians and cyclists breathe easier. DOT doubts linger. Advocates press on. Streets could change fast.

On July 30, 2025, the NYC Council Progressive Caucus made a major push for Intro 1138, a bill to ban parking within 20 feet of intersections. The measure sits with the Transportation Committee. Council Member Julie Won introduced it after deadly crashes in her district. Eighteen caucus members back the bill, aiming to force a vote this year. The matter: 'eliminate parking within 20 feet of an intersection.' Council Member Sandy Nurse called daylighting 'a proven, effective way to make our streets safer.' DOT raised doubts about non-hardened daylighting, but safety analysts say restricting parking near intersections improves visibility, reduces collisions, and protects people on foot and bike.

• NYC Council Progressive Caucus to make push for universal daylighting in 2025, City & State NY, Published 2025-07-30

Jul 23 - Two men killed crossing Third Avenue. A driver sped through a red light, fled. Eighty hurt or dead since 2018. Residents rally. Promised fixes stalled. Danger remains. Children cross nine lanes to reach school.

Gothamist (2025-07-23) reports Sunset Park residents and officials demand safety upgrades on Third Avenue after a hit-and-run killed two men. Police say the driver "sped through a red light" and fled. Since 2018, drivers have killed or seriously injured 80 people on this two-mile stretch. A redesign with protected bike lanes was approved but stalled. State Sen. Gounardes criticized the city's response: "We should all be offended... the response... is a sign that says: 'be careful.'" The article highlights the need for enforcement and infrastructure, noting children must cross nine lanes daily.

• Sunset Park Demands Safer Third Avenue, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-23

Jul 21 - A Jeep SUV and a Honda sedan collided at Cortelyou Road and Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. The 29-year-old woman driving the sedan suffered facial bleeding and shock. Police listed contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' Both drivers were licensed.

A driver in a Jeep SUV and a driver in a Honda sedan collided at Cortelyou Road and Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. A 29-year-old woman driving the sedan was injured, suffering minor bleeding to her face and shock. "According to the police report, contributing factors were listed as 'Unspecified.'" The SUV was traveling east; the sedan was traveling south. Point of impact was the SUV's left front bumper and the sedan's right front bumper. Police recorded both drivers as licensed. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage. The report lists no other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829158 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 18 - Cargo van struck Mayya Gil, 95, as she crossed Cropsey Avenue. She died. Her aide survived. Driver charged with failure to yield and due care. The street stayed open. The danger stayed real.

Gothamist (2025-07-18) reports a 95-year-old woman, Mayya Gil, died after a cargo van hit her and her home health aide while they crossed Cropsey Avenue in Brooklyn. The driver, Thimothe Andre, was charged with two counts of failure to yield and failure to exercise due care. Police said Andre struck both victims while turning. Gil died at the hospital; her aide survived. The article notes, 'NYPD data shows 100 people have died in city traffic crashes so far this year.' The case highlights persistent risks for pedestrians and the consequences of driver inattention at city intersections.

• Brooklyn Pedestrian Killed Crossing Cropsey Avenue, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-18

Jul 15 - A car spun out in a Brooklyn lot. The driver lost control. The machine struck Madison Ruiz as she sat by the curb. She died at the hospital. The driver faces criminal charges.

According to NY Daily News (2025-07-15), Madison Ruiz, 21, was killed when Zachary Cando, 24, lost control of a Genesis G80 while 'doing donuts' in a Gateway Plaza parking lot. The article states Cando 'lost control' and struck Ruiz as she sat by the curb. Police charged Cando with criminally negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, and reckless driving. The incident highlights the risks of reckless driving in public spaces and raises questions about parking lot safety and enforcement.

• Driver Doing Donuts Kills Brooklyn Woman, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-15

Jul 14 - Manhattan Community Board 5 blasts Mayor Adams for gutting bike and bus lanes from Fifth Avenue’s redesign. The board calls the plan a danger to people on foot, bike, and bus.

On July 14, 2025, Manhattan Community Board 5 passed a resolution against Mayor Adams’s scaled-down Fifth Avenue redesign. The board urged immediate adoption of the 2021 plan, which included a protected bike lane and busway. The resolution states, "A real solution to the bike / pedestrian safety issue on 5th Avenue must be proposed in the final design." Vice Chair Samir Lavingia and Transportation Chair David Sigman led the charge. Yoshi Omi-Jarrett reported the action. Safety analysts warn that Adams’s plan preserves unsafe conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, missing a chance for real, system-wide safety improvements.

• Civic Panel Dings Adams For Cutting Bike and Bus Lanes Out of Fifth Av. Redesign, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 10 - A moped struck a 90-year-old man in Brooklyn. The driver fled. The man died at the hospital. Security video captured the impact. The street claimed another life.

CBS New York (2025-07-10) reports a 90-year-old man died after a moped hit-and-run in Brooklyn. Security footage 'shows the moment the man was struck.' The driver left the scene. The victim died at the hospital. The incident highlights the lethal risk for pedestrians and the ongoing danger of drivers who flee. No policy changes or arrests were reported.

• Elderly Man Killed In Brooklyn Hit-Run, CBS New York, Published 2025-07-10

Jul 9 - A moped struck a 90-year-old man crossing in Sheepshead Bay. The rider looked away, hit the man, paused, then fled. The victim lay motionless. Paramedics rushed him to the hospital. He died from his injuries.

ABC7 reported on July 9, 2025, that Zhuo Xie, 90, was killed crossing East 14th Street and Avenue U in Brooklyn. The article states, "a man riding a blue moped slammed into Xie and both men fell to the ground." Surveillance video showed the moped rider looking left, not ahead, before impact. The driver checked on Xie, then left the scene. Police said the moped had a green light, but the rider's inattention and failure to remain highlight systemic dangers for pedestrians. The incident underscores risks at intersections and the consequences of hit-and-run crashes.

• Moped Hits Elderly Pedestrian, Flees Scene, ABC7, Published 2025-07-09

Jul 8 - Austin Celestin blasts city’s e-bike crackdown. Says car-first streets endanger walkers and riders. Calls for real redesign. Enforcement alone leaves vulnerable users exposed.

On July 8, 2025, Austin Celestin spoke out against harsh e-bike enforcement in New York City. The debate, covered by Streetsblog NYC, highlighted Amsterdam’s balanced approach: licensing e-bikes and expanding bike infrastructure. Celestin called the city’s crackdown 'hypocrisy' without safer streets, quoting, 'enforcement can't fix the problems of car-first design.' He opposes enforcement without redesign and supports infrastructure expansion. The safety analyst warns: 'Harsh enforcement against e-bikes without improving street design places undue burden on vulnerable users, discourages mode shift, and fails to address systemic safety issues, potentially reducing overall safety for pedestrians and cyclists.'

• Amsterdam Leads the Way on E-Bike Regulation — Should New York Follow Suit?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-08

Jul 3 - A former DOT leader blasts the mayor’s 15 mph e-bike cap. He warns it will slow riders, expose them to cars, and erase safety gains. Cyclists face new risks. Streets grow more hostile.

On July 3, 2025, Michael Replogle, ex-DOT policy director, publicly opposed the proposed 15 mph e-bike speed limit. The policy, up for hearing July 14, faces broad criticism. Replogle wrote, 'It is an ill-considered idea to improve safety which will be counterproductive.' He argues the cap forces cyclists to ride slower than car traffic, putting them in harm’s way. Kevin Duggan reported the statement for Streetsblog NYC. The safety analyst notes: undoing cycling gains reduces support, shrinks mode share, and weakens safety in numbers. The result: streets less safe for vulnerable users. No council bill number or committee action is attached.

• Ex-DOT Official Warns NYC’s ‘Counterproductive’ E-bike Speed Limit Will Curb Biking, Safety, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-03

Jul 1 - A judge paused city plans to cut a protected bike lane after children were struck crossing. The lane, built after five pedestrian crashes, stays for now. Streets wait. Danger lingers.

NY1 reported on July 1, 2025, that a judge halted the city's move to remove a three-block section of the Bedford Avenue protected bike lane. The city acted after 'incidents of children exiting school buses, crossing into the lane, and being hit by bikes.' The lane, stretching over two miles, was installed in 2024 following 'years of advocacy and five pedestrian incidents.' The hearing highlights ongoing conflict between street safety for cyclists and pedestrians, and the city's rapid policy shifts in response to crashes.

• Bedford Avenue Bike Lane Faces Review, NY1, Published 2025-07-01

Jun 30 - Albany lawmakers killed a bill to make apps insure delivery workers. DoorDash lobbied hard. Cyclists and walkers left exposed. No coverage. Profits protected. Safety denied.

Bill to require app companies to provide $50,000 insurance for delivery workers, pedestrians, and cyclists was introduced by Assembly Member Robert Carroll. It passed the Senate but died in the Assembly on June 30, 2025, after DoorDash called it 'costly.' Amy Sohn reported the defeat. The bill aimed to cover injuries from crashes and bar retaliation against workers filing claims. DoorDash lobbied against it, backing a weaker bill. The safety analyst notes this defeat reduces accountability and weakens protections for pedestrians and cyclists. Corporate pressure won. Vulnerable road users lost.

• DoorDash Lobbying Sunk Bill to Require Apps to Insure Delivery Workers, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-30

Jun 30 - Council orders swift removal of abandoned, derelict cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. No plates, no stickers, no excuses. Police and sanitation must act. Safer crossings for all who walk, ride, or wait.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council on June 30, 2025. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation," requires the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours of report. The NYPD must tow cars lacking valid plates or stickers. Prime sponsor Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led, joined by Crystal Hudson, Amanda Farías, Lincoln Restler, and others. The law targets street hazards, clearing blocked sightlines and crosswalks. It aims to cut risks for pedestrians and cyclists by removing abandoned vehicles fast.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-30

Jun 29 - An eight-year-old boy died after a Honda SUV struck him at Eastern Parkway and Albany Ave. He was dragged under the car. Blood pooled. His sister watched. The driver stayed. No arrest. The city investigates.

NY Daily News (2025-06-29) reports an 8-year-old boy was fatally struck by a 69-year-old Honda Pilot driver at Eastern Parkway and Albany Ave. in Brooklyn. The boy was crossing when hit; witnesses saw him dragged from under the SUV. The article quotes, "I saw the kid being dragged from underneath the car by a woman." The driver remained at the scene. No arrests were made. NYPD Collision Squad investigates. The crash highlights persistent dangers at city intersections and the lethal risk large vehicles pose to children.

• Child Killed By SUV In Crown Heights, NY Daily News, Published 2025-06-29

Jun 28 - SUV turned left across Church Avenue. Motorcycle hit the side. Rider hurt. Police cite improper turn and traffic control ignored. Metal and bodies collided. Brooklyn street, midnight silence broken.

A station wagon SUV and a motorcycle collided at Church Avenue and Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. The motorcycle rider suffered abrasions to the entire body. According to the police report, the SUV was making a left turn while the motorcycle was going straight. Police cite 'Turning Improperly' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The motorcycle rider was wearing a helmet. No injuries were reported for the SUV driver. The crash highlights the danger when drivers disregard traffic controls and make improper turns.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4823727 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 27 - An SUV hit an eight-year-old boy crossing from behind a parked car on Ocean Parkway. The child suffered a bruised leg. Police list no driver errors. The street remains dangerous for the young.

An eight-year-old boy was struck by a northbound SUV while emerging from behind a parked vehicle on Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the child suffered a contusion to his leg but remained conscious. No driver errors or contributing factors were listed in the report. The driver was licensed and the SUV showed no damage. The crash happened away from an intersection, highlighting the persistent risks for children on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4823621 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19