No One Dead—Yet: Gravesend’s Streets Are Waiting for Blood

• 2 killed in motorcycle collision with SUV in Cypress Hills, ABC7, Published 2025-09-02

Aug 27 - The driver of an SUV turned right and struck a 14-year-old operating a motorized device on Stillwell Ave. The teen fell and suffered a shoulder abrasion. Police recorded no other injuries.

A driver in a Honda SUV turned right and struck a 14-year-old operating a motorized device at Stillwell Ave and Bay 50 St in Brooklyn. The teen suffered an abrasion to the shoulder. According to the police report the SUV was "Making Right Turn" and the other vehicle was "Going Straight Ahead." The report lists contributing factors as "Unspecified." Police did not list a specific driver error. The SUV's point of impact was the right front bumper; the motorized device's point of impact was its right side doors. No injuries were reported for the SUV occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4838098 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 12 - City pushes Lyft to demand ID for Citi Bike e-bikes. No license, no ride. Kids blocked. Officials claim safety. But new barriers rise. Fewer riders. Streets lose strength in numbers. Risk shifts. Equity suffers.

"Brannan warned that the current self-reported age system is 'a disaster waiting to happen,' especially amid a surge in e-bike crashes involving minors." -- Justin L. Brannan

On August 12, 2025, First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro sent a letter to Lyft CEO David Risher, demanding 'appropriate age verification steps' for Citi Bike e-bike riders, like requiring a driver's license or permit. Council Member Justin Brannan also pressed Lyft to block under-16 users, calling the current system 'a disaster waiting to happen.' The request follows a recent speed cap on Citi Bike e-bikes. But safety analysts warn: license-based checks block youth and those without licenses, cut mode shift, and weaken street equity. Fewer riders mean less safety in numbers for all vulnerable road users.

• NYC asks Lyft to require ID for Citi Bike e-bikes to curb underage riders, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-08-12

Aug 9 - Coney Island casino plan means thousands more cars. Roads will clog. Parking will vanish. Environmental review shows danger for anyone not behind the wheel.

On August 9, 2025, an environmental impact assessment flagged the proposed Coney Island casino as a threat to street safety. The report, filed with the casino’s license bid, warns: 'The proposed Coney Island casino would likely clog local roads with heavy traffic and overwhelm public parking.' Reporter Kirstyn Brendlen covered the findings. No council members sponsored or voted, but the review shows the casino could bring thousands of cars daily. The safety analyst notes: increased car traffic and parking demand will heighten risks for pedestrians and cyclists, discourage active transportation, and undermine street safety and equity. The system tips toward drivers. The vulnerable pay the price.

• Proposed Coney Island casino could bring heavy traffic, overwhelm parking, according to environmental impact study, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-08-09

Aug 5 - Three crashes. Two dead. A teen fights for life. Metal twisted. Bodies thrown. Streets stained. Drivers lost control. System failed to protect.

Gothamist (2025-08-05) reports three early-morning crashes in New York City. A driver lost control on the Belt Parkway, flipping his car and dying. In Staten Island, an MTA bus struck a 13-year-old on a scooter, leaving him in critical condition. In Brooklyn, a car hit a moped, killing the rider; the driver was taken into custody. Police said, 'Criminal charges for him were still pending.' Investigations continue. The incidents highlight ongoing risks for vulnerable road users and the deadly consequences of driver error and street design.

• Three NYC Crashes Leave Two Dead, Gothamist, Published 2025-08-05

Jul 27 - Drivers crashed on Belt Parkway at 26 Avenue in Brooklyn. The motorcycle driver was ejected and broke his arm. A sedan passenger suffered a bruised shoulder. Police recorded traffic control disregarded.

A driver on a motorcycle and a driver in a sedan crashed on Belt Parkway at 26 Avenue in Brooklyn. The 21-year-old motorcycle driver was ejected and suffered a fractured arm. A 30-year-old sedan passenger had a bruised shoulder. According to the police report, “Traffic Control Disregarded” was a contributing factor. Police recorded this failure to obey traffic control. The drivers were heading straight before impact. The motorcycle had front-end damage; the sedan’s right side was hit. The motorcycle driver was unlicensed. No fatalities were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4831065 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 26 - A sedan turning right hit a 35-year-old bicyclist on Shore Parkway. The rider suffered knee and foot injuries, minor bleeding and shock. According to the police report, alcohol involvement was a contributing factor.

The driver of a sedan turned right and hit a 35-year-old male bicyclist on Shore Parkway at Bay 44 Street in Brooklyn. The rider suffered knee, lower-leg and foot injuries, with minor bleeding and shock. According to the police report, alcohol involvement was a contributing factor. The cyclist was traveling west while the sedan was making a right turn when the center fronts of both vehicles collided. The report records alcohol involvement by the driver and lists no other driver errors. No injuries were reported for the sedan’s occupant.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830616 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 18 - A driver in a 2024 Toyota sedan making a right turn on Shore Parkway was involved in a crash. The left front bumper was the point of impact. The driver suffered shoulder and upper‑arm injuries, was in shock, and complained of pain and nausea.

According to the police report, a male driver in a 2024 Toyota sedan was involved in a crash on Shore Parkway near Cropsey Avenue while making a right turn. The sedan's left front bumper was the point of impact. The driver, the vehicle's sole occupant, suffered a shoulder and upper‑arm injury, was recorded in shock, and complained of pain and nausea. The driver was wearing a lap belt and harness. According to the police report the contributing factors were listed as "Unspecified." The report notes no pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4828760 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 18 - Council Member Justin Brannan moves to stop delivery apps from axing workers at will. The bill targets silent firings. No more robot bosses. Human over algorithm. Status: introduced.

"A big consequence that we saw is that delivery workers are often deactivated from the platforms without any notice or any explanation." -- Justin L. Brannan

On July 18, 2025, Council Member Justin Brannan introduced Intro 1332 to the New York City Council. The bill, now pending committee assignment, would require delivery app companies to give a reason before deactivating workers. Brannan says, 'A big consequence that we saw is that delivery workers are often deactivated from the platforms without any notice or any explanation.' The measure aims to end algorithmic firings and protect gig workers from sudden job loss. However, the event text is too vague to determine a direct safety impact on pedestrians and cyclists, as it does not specify any concrete policy or regulatory change affecting vulnerable road users.

• New Bill Would Block Apps From Deactivating Workers Without Cause, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-18

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 17 - Council raised pay for grocery deliveristas. EMTs now earn less. Delivery workers face city streets daily. Council chose their risk. First responders left behind.

On July 17, 2025, the NYC Council passed a bill raising minimum pay for app-based grocery delivery workers to $21.44 per hour. The bill, sponsored by Council Member Sandy Nurse, matches earlier raises for restaurant deliveristas. The matter summary: 'the NYC Council approved on Monday a pay increase for app-based grocery-delivery workers.' Speaker Adrienne Adams and Justin Brannan backed higher EMT pay, but the bill leaves FDNY EMTs earning less than delivery workers. Safety analysts found no direct impact on pedestrians or cyclists: 'The pay increase for app-based delivery workers does not directly affect the safety of pedestrians or cyclists, nor does it impact street design, mode shift, or driver accountability.'

• FDNY EMT outrage: First responders now earn less than grocery delivery workers after NYC Council vote, AMNY, Published 2025-07-17

Jul 16 - A left turn on Avenue V ended in violence. An 89-year-old driver was ejected and injured. Police cite inattention and failure to yield. Metal struck flesh. The street stayed open.

An 89-year-old male driver was ejected and injured in a crash at 86th Street and Avenue V in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the driver suffered shoulder and upper arm abrasions. The crash involved two vehicles: one making a left turn, the other traveling straight. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The injured driver was conscious at the scene. No safety equipment was used. No pedestrians or cyclists were reported hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4828784 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 12 - A speeding car struck two men at dawn in Sunset Park. One pulled a cart. One walked with a cane. The driver did not brake. Both men died in the street. The car fled. Police tracked the suspect to Staten Island.

ABC7 reported on July 12, 2025, that Juventino Anastacio Florentino, 23, was arraigned after a hit-and-run killed Faqiu Lin, 59, and Kex Un Chen, 80, at Third Avenue and 52nd Street. Surveillance showed the car "speeding southbound" and not braking before impact. Florentino faces charges including manslaughter and reckless driving. Police used video and car debris to find the suspect. City Harvest said the victims "may have been on their way to our Mobile Market simply trying to access food." The crash highlights the danger for pedestrians near busy food distribution sites.

• Hit-And-Run Kills Two Near Food Pantry, ABC7, Published 2025-07-12

Jul 11 - A speeding driver killed two men in a crosswalk on Third Avenue. The corridor’s safety redesign was shelved. The city knew the danger. The deaths came fast, brutal, and preventable.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-07-11) reports a driver struck and killed Kex Un Chen and Faqui Lin on Third Avenue, Brooklyn. The driver, charged with manslaughter and fleeing, sped through a red light. The crash happened on a corridor where Mayor Adams paused a safety redesign after business opposition. Streetsblog notes, 'Every death is preventable.' Since the redesign was halted, 96 crashes have injured 80 people. The Department of Transportation’s plan would have reduced lanes and added protections. Community Board 7 supported it, but the project stalled. The corridor remains deadly.

• Hit-and-Run Kills Two on Third Avenue, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-11

Jul 8 - Two new elevators rise at Bay Ridge-95th Street. Barriers fall. Riders once shut out now enter. Subway access grows. Streets outside still threaten, but inside, movement is free. Each upgrade shifts the city’s balance.

"This is a great example of working with the MTA on bringing accessibility to the far reaches of the outer boroughs and reminding folks that the ADA is not just a suggestion, it's actually the law." -- Justin L. Brannan

On July 8, 2025, the MTA opened two ADA-compliant elevators at Bay Ridge-95th Street station, Brooklyn. The project, backed by federal funds, finished under budget. Council Member Justin Brannan, State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis all praised the upgrade. Quemuel Arroyo, MTA’s chief accessibility officer, called it 'a crucial connection.' The new elevators mark the third Brooklyn station made accessible this year. Improved subway access encourages walking and cycling to transit, boosting safety for vulnerable users by increasing their numbers and visibility. The MTA must reach 95% accessibility by 2055.

• MTA opens two elevators at newly-accessible Bay Ridge-95th Street station, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-07-08

Jul 8 - A moped struck a 90-year-old crossing Avenue U. Blood on the street. The rider sped off. The man now fights for life in a Brooklyn hospital. Police hunt for the masked driver.

According to NY Daily News (2025-07-08), a 90-year-old man was critically injured when a moped rider hit him at Avenue U and E. 14th St. in Brooklyn. The rider fled the scene. An eyewitness said, "He was laid out on the floor. His head was wide open." Police are searching for surveillance footage to identify the masked rider. The article notes, "He hit the guy and he left." The incident highlights the ongoing danger of hit-and-runs and the challenge of tracking unregistered or masked moped operators on city streets.

• Moped Rider Hits Elderly Man, Flees, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-08

Jul 6 - A car turned across Bay Street. The motorcycle struck the door. Jeremy Claudio died. The driver stayed. No arrests. The street stayed open. The city counted another loss.

According to amny (2025-07-06), Jeremy Claudio, 34, died after his motorcycle hit the driver-side door of a Toyota Rav 4 making a K-turn on Bay Street, Staten Island. Police said the driver was "making a K-turn from the northbound lane... into its southbound lane when the collision occurred." The driver remained at the scene and was uninjured. No arrests were made. The NYPD Collision Investigation Squad is investigating. The crash highlights risks when drivers turn across traffic, especially on busy city streets.

• Motorcyclist Dies In Staten Island K-Turn Crash, amny, Published 2025-07-06

Jul 1 - SUV turned left on Avenue Y. Struck a 19-year-old e-scooter rider. Arm injury. Police cite improper turn and driver distraction. System failed to protect the vulnerable.

A Ford SUV making a left turn on Avenue Y collided with a 19-year-old woman riding an e-scooter. The e-scooter rider suffered an arm injury. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Turning Improperly' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' Both vehicles were traveling west. The SUV driver was licensed and uninjured. The e-scooter rider was not ejected and wore no safety equipment. The report lists no helmet or signal issues for the e-scooter. Systemic danger remains for those outside cars.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4824412 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 1 - Two SUVs and a sedan collided on Avenue Z. Three drivers hurt. Police cite driver inattention. Metal twisted. Pain followed. Brooklyn traffic stands still.

Three drivers were injured when two SUVs and a sedan collided on Avenue Z at Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the crash involved driver inattention or distraction. One driver suffered a knee and leg abrasion. Two others reported pain in the abdomen, pelvis, shoulder, and upper arm. All vehicles were stopped or merging before impact. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No other causes are noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4827916 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

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