Brownsville Bleeds—Leaders Stall. Demand Safe Streets Now.

Mar 21 - A taxi traveling west collided with a southbound sedan on Blake Avenue, striking the sedan’s front center and damaging the taxi’s right side doors. Both drivers and a passenger sustained internal injuries, revealing a violent impact and driver errors.

According to the police report, a 2019 Toyota taxi traveling west on Blake Avenue collided with a 2012 Jeep sedan moving south. The taxi struck the sedan’s center front end while the taxi’s right side doors were impacted. The sedan driver, a 61-year-old woman, was slowing or stopping before the crash. The taxi driver, a 61-year-old man, and a 47-year-old female passenger in the taxi were injured, suffering internal injuries to the back and neck respectively. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The report lists unspecified contributing factors, indicating driver errors likely played a role in the collision. The violent impact caused moderate injuries to occupants, with no ejections reported. The crash highlights dangers at intersections involving multiple vehicle types and driver actions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800696 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 18 - A 61-year-old woman suffered upper arm injuries and shock after an ambulance, making a left turn, struck her at an intersection in Brooklyn. The driver’s inattention caused the collision despite the pedestrian crossing with the signal.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Thomas S Boyland St near Livonia Ave in Brooklyn at 3:00 PM. A 61-year-old female pedestrian was crossing with the signal when an ambulance, traveling west and making a left turn, struck her with its center front end. The pedestrian sustained injuries to her shoulder and upper arm, was in shock, and complained of pain or nausea. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor to the crash. The ambulance driver was licensed and operating the vehicle with three occupants aboard. No damage was reported to the ambulance. The pedestrian’s crossing with the signal was noted but not cited as a contributing factor. This incident highlights the critical danger posed by driver distraction in intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800078 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 14 - A motorcycle stopped in traffic was struck from behind by a sedan traveling north on Mother Gaston Blvd. The motorcyclist, wearing a helmet, was ejected and suffered serious hip and upper leg injuries. Alcohol involvement was cited by police.

According to the police report, at 10:55 PM on Mother Gaston Blvd in Brooklyn, a motorcycle stopped in traffic was rear-ended by a sedan traveling in the same direction. The motorcyclist, a 38-year-old male with a permit license, was ejected from the motorcycle and sustained injuries to his hip and upper leg, resulting in a complaint of pain and nausea. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The sedan driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead. The report cites alcohol involvement as a contributing factor, indicating impaired driver behavior. The collision point was the center back end of the motorcycle and the center front end of the sedan. No pedestrian or cyclist victims were involved. The report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798755 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 12 - A left-turning SUV struck a northbound SUV at Thomas S Boyland Street in Brooklyn. The female driver of the northbound vehicle suffered full-body injuries and lost consciousness. Police cited driver inattention and distraction as the cause.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 8:08 AM on Thomas S Boyland Street in Brooklyn. A Nissan SUV traveling south was making a left turn when it collided with a northbound Chevrolet SUV. The point of impact was the left front bumper on both vehicles. The female driver of the northbound SUV, aged 73, was injured with full-body trauma and was unconscious at the scene. She was restrained with a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor for the crash, cited twice for the injured driver. The male driver of the turning vehicle was licensed in Florida, while the injured driver held a New York license. No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors. The collision highlights the dangers of distracted driving during turning maneuvers in Brooklyn.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798391 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 10 - Sedan slammed a parked car on Mother Gaston. Driver fell asleep. Seventy-six-year-old passenger took the hit. Leg and foot crushed. Brooklyn street, night, no warning.

According to the police report, a 2019 Infiniti sedan traveling south on Mother Gaston Boulevard in Brooklyn struck a parked 2016 Mercedes at 9:22 PM. The driver, a licensed woman, fell asleep at the wheel. This was the sole contributing factor listed. The Infiniti hit the Mercedes’s left rear bumper, damaging its own right front. A 76-year-old female passenger in the Infiniti suffered severe injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot. She was conscious and not ejected. No other contributing factors or victim actions were reported. The crash underscores the direct danger of driver fatigue.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797777 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 10 - A 16-year-old boy suffered back injuries after a sedan hit him while crossing Rockaway Avenue outside an intersection. The driver, heading north, struck the pedestrian with the vehicle’s center front end. No vehicle damage was reported.

According to the police report, a 16-year-old male pedestrian was injured with back trauma after being struck by a sedan traveling north on Rockaway Avenue in Brooklyn at 3:38 p.m. The pedestrian was crossing outside a crosswalk or signal when the collision occurred. The vehicle, a 2012 Toyota sedan driven by a licensed female driver from Pennsylvania, was going straight ahead and impacted the pedestrian at the center front end. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield, but the pedestrian was crossing without a signal or crosswalk. The vehicle sustained no damage, indicating a potentially low-speed impact. The pedestrian was conscious and complained of internal injuries. No helmet or safety equipment was noted, nor were any pedestrian behaviors cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797776 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 8 - A driver out on bail smashed into a Toyota in Bushwick. The crash killed Hayden Wallace and injured three others. The driver fled, leaving chaos behind. Police tracked him for over a year. Charges stack up, but the loss remains.

NY Daily News (March 8, 2025) reports that Christopher Seabrook, 28, was arrested after a deadly hit-and-run in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Seabrook had been out on bail for a previous crash involving police. On January 8, 2024, he crashed into a Toyota, killing Hayden Wallace and injuring three others. Seabrook fled the scene, abandoning his vehicle. The article notes, "All accidents are useless but this one was even more useless because [Seabrook] had so many other offenses." Seabrook faces 23 charges, including manslaughter, leaving the scene, unlicensed driving, and speeding. The case highlights repeated driver offenses and questions about bail and enforcement. Police needed over a year to arrest Seabrook, who had a history of fleeing crashes and driving without a license.

• Repeat Offender Kills Passenger In Brooklyn Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-08

Mar 3 - A dump truck turned right on Withers Street. It struck a man crouched in the road. The driver fled. The man died at Elmhurst Hospital. Police are still investigating. Brooklyn’s streets claim more lives. The toll grows.

Gothamist reported on March 3, 2025, that a dump truck driver fatally struck a man in his 20s on Withers Street near Woodpoint Road in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The man was 'crouched in the street to pick up food' when the northbound truck turned right and hit him, according to NYPD officials. The driver, a 49-year-old man, left the scene. No arrests have been made. The NYPD's Collision Investigation Squad is investigating. The article notes this crash followed two other recent fatal collisions in Brooklyn. The incident underscores persistent dangers for pedestrians and ongoing issues with drivers leaving crash scenes. NYPD data shows at least 10 traffic deaths in Brooklyn so far this year, matching last year’s pace.

• Dump Truck Kills Pedestrian In Williamsburg, Gothamist, Published 2025-03-03

Mar 2 - A driver suffered a head injury and concussion in a three-vehicle crash on Howard Avenue in Brooklyn. The driver was semiconscious but restrained by a lap belt and harness. Multiple vehicles sustained front-end and bumper damage in the collision.

According to the police report, a three-vehicle collision occurred on Howard Avenue in Brooklyn at 5:02 AM. The injured party was a 51-year-old male driver who suffered a head injury and concussion. He was semiconscious at the scene and was wearing a lap belt and harness. The crash involved two SUVs and one sedan. One SUV was parked before impact and sustained damage to its right front bumper. The other SUV and the sedan both had center front-end damage. The report lists unspecified contributing factors for the injured driver but does not specify any driver errors or victim behaviors. The collision resulted in significant vehicle damage and serious injury to the driver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4795676 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 2 - A man sped through a stop sign in Brownsville. His Mercedes hit a school bus. His passenger died. He ran from the wreck in a taxi. Police found him later. The victim’s family mourns. The street remains unchanged.

NY Daily News reported on March 2, 2025, that Tyree Epps, 32, drove a Mercedes-Benz without a license, ran a stop sign on Van Sinderen Ave, and crashed into a school bus. The article states, “After the crash, Epps hopped in a taxi and took off, leaving his 26-year-old passenger, Imani Vance, in the front seat suffering severe head trauma.” Epps faces charges of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene, and unlicensed driving. The bus driver survived. The crash exposes ongoing risks from unlicensed, reckless drivers and the persistent danger at city intersections. The victim’s family is left to grieve and organize a funeral, while the intersection remains a site of loss.

• Unlicensed Driver Flees Fatal Brooklyn Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-02

Mar 1 - A Kia slammed into a Toyota on Stockholm Street. Hayden Wallace, 29, died. Two friends survived with critical wounds. The driver fled. Police arrested Christopher Seabrook. The crash left a new life cut short, a city shaken.

According to the NY Daily News (published March 1, 2025), Christopher Seabrook, 28, was arrested for the hit-and-run crash that killed Hayden Wallace, 29, in Bushwick on January 8, 2024. Seabrook allegedly crashed a Kia Sportage into a Toyota Yaris carrying Wallace and friends, then fled the scene on foot. Wallace died; two others were critically injured. The Toyota’s driver was also charged with driving without a license. Seabrook faces charges including manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and leaving the scene. The article quotes Wallace’s aunt: “He lived life to the fullest. He was only 29 years old and lit up every room he entered.” The case highlights the deadly consequences of reckless driving and fleeing crash scenes in New York City.

• Bushwick Hit-And-Run Kills Passenger, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-01

Feb 28 - A drunk driver blasted through a red light at 72 mph. He struck Katherine Harris, killing her steps from home. The car crashed on. Blood alcohol twice the limit. The street became a crime scene. Lives shattered in seconds.

NY Daily News reported on February 28, 2025, that Erick Trujillo, 29, was sentenced to three to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter. On April 16, 2023, Trujillo drove his Volvo at 72 mph—nearly triple the speed limit—through a red light at Atlantic Ave and Clinton Street in Brooklyn. He struck pedestrian Katherine Harris, 31, killing her instantly, then rear-ended another car and crashed into an outdoor dining shed. Trujillo's blood alcohol level was .17, more than twice the legal limit. The article quotes Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez: "This defendant made a disastrous decision when he got behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated." The case highlights the lethal consequences of impaired driving and excessive speed, underscoring systemic risks for pedestrians in New York City.

• Drunk Driver Speeds, Kills Pedestrian in Brooklyn, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-28

Feb 27 - A sedan tore down Van Sinderen Avenue, slammed a bus, then a parked truck. Metal screamed. The front passenger, a 26-year-old woman, died in her seat. Head wounds ended everything. She never saw it coming. The driver had no license.

A deadly crash unfolded on Van Sinderen Avenue near Blake Avenue in Brooklyn when, according to the police report, a sedan traveling at 'unsafe speed' collided with a bus and then struck a parked box truck. The report states the sedan's front passenger, a 26-year-old woman, suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. The sedan's driver was unlicensed, as documented in the official vehicle records. The police report attributes the primary contributing factor to 'Unsafe Speed.' The narrative describes the sedan as 'slammed into a bus, then a parked box truck,' underscoring the violent sequence. No contributing factors related to the victim's behavior are cited in the report. The focus remains on the unlicensed driver’s excessive speed and the systemic danger posed by unqualified motorists operating vehicles on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4795300 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 18 - A BMW X5 veered off Belt Parkway near Exit 14. The SUV struck a tree. Marcus Joseph, 41, died at the scene. No passengers. No bystanders hurt. The crash left only silence and wreckage on the Brooklyn road.

NY Daily News (2025-02-18) reports Marcus Joseph, 41, died after his BMW X5 spun out of control on the Belt Parkway near Exit 14 in Starrett City, Brooklyn. Police said the SUV 'skidded off the road and slammed into a tree.' Joseph was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The article does not mention weather or road conditions. The incident highlights the dangers of high-speed corridors like the Belt Parkway, where loss of control can prove fatal. No charges were filed. The report underscores the persistent risks for all road users on New York City highways.

• BMW Skids, Slams Tree On Belt Parkway, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-18

Feb 18 - Senators move to guard bike lanes. Cameras will catch drivers who block or invade. The city’s cyclists and walkers get a shot at safer streets. No more hiding behind the wheel.

Senate bill S 5008, now in sponsorship, aims to launch a bicycle lane safety program in New York City. The bill, introduced February 18, 2025, sits in committee. Its summary reads: 'Establishes in the city of New York a bicycle lane safety program to enforce certain restrictions on the use of bicycle lanes and/or protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal leads, joined by Jabari Brisport, Kristen Gonzalez, Liz Krueger, Jessica Ramos, and Julia Salazar. The bill targets drivers who block or misuse bike lanes, using cameras to enforce the rules. The move puts pressure on the city to protect cyclists and pedestrians from daily danger.

• File S 5008, Open States, Published 2025-02-18

Feb 14 - A pick-up truck struck a parked sedan on Livonia Avenue. The crash injured the sedan’s front passenger, leaving her with neck trauma and whiplash. Metal twisted. Streets stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, a pick-up truck traveling north on Livonia Avenue collided with a parked sedan at Strauss Street in Brooklyn. The impact hit the center front of both vehicles. The sedan’s front passenger, a 40-year-old woman, suffered neck trauma and whiplash. She was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists unspecified contributing factors. The driver of the pick-up truck failed to maintain control, striking a stationary vehicle. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. No victim actions contributed to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793279 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 14 - A sedan making a left turn collided with a westbound bicyclist on Mother Gaston Blvd in Brooklyn. The bicyclist was ejected, suffered injuries to the entire body, and was incoherent at the scene. The sedan sustained front-left damage.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Mother Gaston Blvd near Sutter Ave in Brooklyn at 3:20 PM. A sedan traveling north was making a left turn when it struck a bicyclist traveling westbound. The point of impact was the sedan’s left front bumper and the bike’s center front end. The bicyclist, a 29-year-old male, was ejected from his bike and sustained injuries to his entire body, resulting in incoherence and minor bleeding. The report lists no contributing factors from the bicyclist but notes unspecified factors overall. The sedan driver was licensed and operating a 2013 vehicle. The crash highlights the danger posed by turning vehicles failing to yield to bicyclists traveling straight through intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793008 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly gaps for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council in February 2025. The law demands the Department of Transportation install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must notify the public and explain the delay. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Council Member Farah N. Louis led as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, and Ariola. The law took effect March 15, 2025. Timely markings close the deadly window when streets lack crosswalks and lanes, protecting people on foot and bike.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-02-13

Feb 11 - Two sedans collided on Hegeman Avenue in Brooklyn. Both drivers, aged 75 and 60, suffered back injuries and shock. Vehicles impacted at left front bumpers while parked. No explicit driver errors were cited in the police report.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on Hegeman Avenue in Brooklyn at 18:49. Both vehicles were described as parked before the crash, and the point of impact was the left front bumper on each vehicle. The drivers, a 75-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman, were both injured with back injuries and experienced shock. Both occupants were not ejected and did not wear safety equipment. The report lists contributing factors for both occupants as 'Unspecified,' and no explicit driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding were noted. The collision involved two licensed drivers from New York and New Jersey. The police report does not attribute fault to either driver or mention any victim behaviors contributing to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792039 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 8 - A Nissan struck a 19-year-old man at Rockaway and Sutter. He suffered knee and leg injuries, shock, and minor bleeding. The car hit him head-on. No vehicle damage. The street stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, a 19-year-old male pedestrian was hit by a Nissan traveling south at the intersection of Rockaway Avenue and Sutter Avenue in Brooklyn at 10:28 PM. The vehicle struck the pedestrian with its center front end. The pedestrian suffered injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, with minor bleeding and shock. He was not ejected. The report lists unspecified contributing factors and does not record any driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. No vehicle damage was noted. The incident underscores the risk pedestrians face at intersections, even when the car shows no visible damage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793663 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19