Ocean Hill Bleeds While Leaders Stall

May 16 - Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-05-16

May 13 - A 20-year-old male passenger suffered a head injury in a Brooklyn crash. The SUV made a left turn and struck the sedan traveling south. The passenger was semiconscious with pain and nausea. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage.

According to the police report, a 2016 SUV was making a left turn on Rockaway Avenue in Brooklyn when it collided with a 2023 sedan traveling straight south. The impact occurred at the center front end of the SUV and the left front bumper of the sedan. A 20-year-old male passenger in the sedan was injured, sustaining a head injury and was semiconscious with complaints of pain and nausea. The report lists the contributing factors as unspecified, but the SUV driver's left turn maneuver was a key action preceding the crash. No other driver errors or victim factors were noted in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4628672 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 12 - A sedan struck a parked sedan on Sumpter Street. The moving driver, a 38-year-old man, suffered back injuries and whiplash. Both vehicles sustained center-end damage. The driver was conscious and not ejected. Distraction caused the crash.

According to the police report, a 38-year-old male driver operating a 2011 Toyota sedan traveling east on Sumpter Street rear-ended a parked 2012 Dodge sedan. The impact was at the center front end of the moving vehicle and the center back end of the parked vehicle. The driver sustained back injuries and whiplash but remained conscious and was not ejected. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The crash caused damage to both vehicles at their points of impact. No other injuries or contributing factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4629115 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 11 - A 12-year-old boy was struck by an SUV while crossing East New York Avenue in Brooklyn. The boy suffered fractures and dislocations to his knee and lower leg. The SUV showed no damage. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene.

According to the police report, a 12-year-old male pedestrian was injured while crossing East New York Avenue in Brooklyn. The pedestrian sustained fractures and dislocations to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The vehicle involved was a 2009 Nissan SUV traveling west, with three occupants and a licensed female driver going straight ahead. The point of impact was the center front end of the SUV. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was crossing without a signal or crosswalk. The SUV showed no damage. The pedestrian remained conscious after the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4627978 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 6 - A speeding SUV struck two parked sedans on Broadway. The crash injured a front-seat passenger. Police cited unsafe speed and improper lane use. Metal twisted. The street bore the mark of reckless force.

According to the police report, a 2020 BMW SUV heading south on Broadway in Brooklyn crashed into two parked sedans. The impact injured a 40-year-old male front-seat passenger, who suffered abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. Police listed "Passing or Lane Usage Improper" and "Unsafe Speed" as driver errors. The passenger was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. No contributing factors related to the passenger were noted. The crash left visible damage to the sedans and underscored the danger of driver mistakes behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4626346 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 5 - A 33-year-old man was struck by an SUV on Boyland Street in Brooklyn. The driver, distracted and inattentive, hit the pedestrian at the intersection. The victim suffered knee and lower leg injuries but remained conscious at the scene.

According to the police report, a 33-year-old male pedestrian was injured when a 2002 SUV traveling east on Boyland Street struck him at an intersection in Brooklyn. The point of impact was the vehicle's left front bumper. The pedestrian suffered injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot and was conscious after the collision. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the crash. The driver was licensed and driving straight ahead at the time. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4630821 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 24 - A 15-year-old female driver and a 9-year-old male passenger suffered head and face injuries in a Brooklyn crash. The unlicensed driver, distracted, struck two stopped vehicles from behind on Broadway. Both occupants wore seat belts and were not ejected.

According to the police report, a 15-year-old female driver was traveling north on Broadway in Brooklyn when she rear-ended two stopped vehicles. The crash involved two sedans and a bus. The driver was unlicensed and distracted, contributing to the collision. The 15-year-old driver sustained head injuries and abrasions, while a 9-year-old male passenger in the rear seat suffered facial injuries and minor bleeding. Both occupants were restrained with lap belts and harnesses and were not ejected. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The vehicles involved sustained damage to their center front and back ends. No other driver errors or victim factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4623269 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 8 - A 32-year-old male driver suffered shoulder and arm injuries in a crash on Saint Johns Place. A BMW sedan struck a garbage truck’s left rear quarter panel. Both vehicles were traveling straight. The sedan’s front center bore the impact.

According to the police report, a 32-year-old male driver was injured with contusions and bruises to his shoulder and upper arm. The crash occurred on Saint Johns Place in Brooklyn at 1:56 a.m. A 2023 BMW sedan traveling north collided with a 2015 garbage truck traveling west. The sedan struck the truck’s left rear quarter panel with its center front end. Both vehicles were going straight ahead before the collision. The report lists the contributing factors as unspecified. The sedan driver held a permit license, while the truck driver was licensed. No ejections occurred, and the injured driver remained conscious. The report does not indicate any pedestrian involvement or other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4619551 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 5 - A 7-year-old boy was hit on Eastern Parkway. He suffered a head bruise but stayed conscious. The vehicle moved west, straight ahead. Police list no driver errors. The child’s actions and location are unknown.

According to the police report, a 7-year-old male pedestrian was struck and injured on Eastern Parkway near Fulton Street in Brooklyn. The child suffered a head contusion and was conscious at the scene. The vehicle involved traveled west, going straight ahead. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors, marking them as unspecified. The pedestrian’s exact location and actions at the time of the crash are unknown. No details are provided about the vehicle type, driver, or safety equipment. The injury is classified as a head contusion.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4619973 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 27 - Two SUVs collided on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. One vehicle backed unsafely into another traveling east. The driver of the struck SUV, a 50-year-old man, suffered a hip and upper leg injury. No visible damage to vehicles was reported.

According to the police report, the crash occurred when one SUV was backing unsafely and struck another SUV traveling eastbound on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. The driver of the struck vehicle, a 50-year-old man, was injured with hip and upper leg trauma and experienced shock. He was wearing a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The report lists "Backing Unsafely" as the contributing factor. Both vehicles showed no damage. The driver of the struck vehicle held a permit license from New York. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4616848 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 21 - Senate passes S 4647. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. It funds more enforcement. It pushes work zone safety awareness. Lawmakers move to protect workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 4647, titled "Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker, promotes work zone safety awareness, and establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement," advanced through committee on April 15, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy, with Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, and James Skoufis as co-sponsors, the bill passed multiple Senate votes. The measure targets drivers who endanger highway workers, boosts safety awareness, and funds enforcement. The bill aims to curb driver recklessness in work zones, where danger is high and impact is deadly.

• File S 4647, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

Mar 19 - A sedan struck an SUV from behind on Saint Johns Place in Brooklyn. The SUV driver, a 48-year-old woman, suffered back injuries and whiplash. Both vehicles were traveling southeast. The sedan’s front and the SUV’s rear were damaged in the collision.

According to the police report, a 2023 sedan rear-ended a 2011 SUV on Saint Johns Place in Brooklyn. The SUV driver, a 48-year-old woman, was injured with back pain and whiplash but was conscious and not ejected. The report lists "Following Too Closely" as a contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver failed to maintain a safe distance. Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead in the same direction when the collision occurred. The sedan sustained front-end damage, and the SUV was damaged at the rear. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4614592 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 17 - Sedan and flatbed truck collided on Atlantic Avenue. Both sedan occupants suffered whiplash, head, and neck injuries. Unsafe lane changing listed as cause. Metal twisted. Streets stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, a sedan and a flatbed truck crashed on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. Both men in the sedan—a 53-year-old driver and a 56-year-old front passenger—were injured with whiplash and head or neck trauma. The report lists "Unsafe Lane Changing" and "Traffic Control Disregarded" as contributing factors. The sedan was struck on its left side doors, while the flatbed took damage to its right front bumper. Both drivers were licensed and conscious at the scene. No ejections occurred. The report does not mention any contributing factors related to safety equipment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4614928 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 4 - A garbage truck struck the right front of an SUV on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. The SUV passenger, a 56-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg injuries. The truck driver was distracted, causing the collision. The injured occupant remained conscious.

According to the police report, a garbage truck traveling east on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn collided with a station wagon/SUV also traveling east. The point of impact was the garbage truck's left front bumper hitting the SUV's right front bumper. A 56-year-old male occupant of the SUV was injured, sustaining contusions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The occupant was conscious at the time of the report. The report lists driver inattention or distraction as a contributing factor to the crash. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted. The collision caused center front end damage to the garbage truck and right front bumper damage to the SUV.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4610152 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 2 - A bus rear-ended a sedan on Eastern Parkway. The sedan’s front-seat passenger took the blow. She suffered head injuries and whiplash. Metal twisted. Traffic kept moving. Brooklyn streets stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, a Ford bus traveling east on Eastern Parkway struck the rear of a Nissan sedan moving in the same direction. The crash hit the sedan’s center back end and the bus’s front. A 46-year-old woman, riding in the sedan’s middle front seat, was injured. She suffered head trauma and whiplash but remained conscious. The report lists unspecified contributing factors and does not cite specific driver errors. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash left both vehicles damaged and a passenger hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4609857 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 18 - SUV struck sedan’s right rear in Brooklyn. Passenger, 38, suffered head abrasion. Both vehicles moved straight. No driver errors listed. Impact left one man hurt, conscious, belted.

According to the police report, a 2016 Toyota SUV traveling west on Fulton Street hit the right rear quarter panel of a 2016 Infiniti sedan moving north. The sedan carried a 38-year-old male passenger in the right rear seat. He suffered a head abrasion but remained conscious and was restrained by a lap belt and harness. Both vehicles were going straight at the time of the crash. The report lists no driver errors or contributing factors. The SUV’s front and the sedan’s rear quarter panel were damaged in the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4606894 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Feb 10 - Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.

• Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-10

Feb 9 - A young unlicensed driver crashed into two parked sedans on East New York Avenue. He suffered a severe shoulder injury. The parked cars took front-end damage. No other injuries reported.

According to the police report, a 20-year-old unlicensed male driver crashed his sedan into two parked sedans on East New York Avenue in Brooklyn. The driver suffered a serious upper arm and shoulder injury and was semiconscious at the scene. Both parked vehicles sustained front-end damage. The report lists the driver's unlicensed status but does not specify other contributing factors. No other people were injured. No helmet or signal use was listed as a factor. The driver was not ejected and wore no safety equipment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605099 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 6 - A 28-year-old woman was hit by a northbound taxi on Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn. The driver was distracted. The pedestrian suffered hip and upper leg injuries. She was conscious and not ejected. The crash happened away from a crosswalk or signal.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling north on Ralph Avenue struck a 28-year-old female pedestrian who was crossing outside a crosswalk or signal. The pedestrian sustained injuries to her hip and upper leg and remained conscious after the collision. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor to the crash. The taxi's point of impact was the center front end, indicating the driver failed to notice the pedestrian in time. No other contributing factors such as pedestrian error or safety equipment were noted. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle straight ahead at the time of impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4606870 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19