Flatlands Bleeds: Speed Kills, Leaders Sleep

A man crossed Fulton Street. A Ford Explorer hit him. The driver sped off. The man died at the hospital. The street stayed quiet. Police searched for the car. The city counted another lost life.

ABC7 reported on May 17, 2025, that a 55-year-old man was killed while crossing Fulton Street at Washington Avenue in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. According to police, 'a burgundy Ford Explorer with Pennsylvania license plates struck and killed the 55-year-old man.' The driver did not remain at the scene. The crash happened just before 12:30 a.m. The victim was taken to Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The incident highlights the ongoing danger faced by pedestrians and the persistent problem of hit-and-run drivers in New York City.

• Driver Flees After Brooklyn Fatal Crash, ABC7, Published 2025-05-17

A moped slammed a sedan on Avenue K. The rider was thrown, hurt in the leg. Police cite driver inexperience and distraction. Metal and flesh met. The street stayed silent.

A moped and a sedan collided on Avenue K at E 51st Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, a 34-year-old man, was ejected and suffered a leg injury. According to the police report, 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' contributed to the crash. The moped was changing lanes when it struck the sedan. The sedan driver, a 40-year-old woman, was not ejected and had no reported injuries. The report lists no other contributing factors. The crash left one person injured and exposed the risks faced by vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4813971 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A car struck Larry Maxwell, 72, on Sutter Avenue. The driver had just crashed into another vehicle and fled. Maxwell died at Brookdale Hospital. The driver did not stop. Police are still searching. No arrests. The street stayed quiet.

NY Daily News reported on May 15, 2025, that Larry Maxwell, 72, was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Brownsville, Brooklyn. The article states, “An elderly man was mowed down and killed by a hit-and-run driver in Brooklyn on May 10, just seconds after the same driver smashed into a nearby vehicle.” The driver first collided with a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu, then continued on and struck Maxwell near Sutter Ave. and Osborn St. The Malibu’s occupants were uninjured and remained at the scene. The driver who killed Maxwell fled and remains unidentified. The NYPD Highway District collision investigation squad is investigating. No arrests have been made. The case highlights the lethal risk of fleeing drivers and the ongoing challenge of enforcement.

• Hit-And-Run Driver Kills Brooklyn Elder, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-15

Two sedans collided at Flatbush and Kings. Both drivers hurt. Police cite improper lane use and distraction. Metal twisted. Lives changed in a blink.

Two sedans crashed at Flatbush Avenue and Kings Highway in Brooklyn. Both drivers, a 28-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man, suffered injuries to their back and arm. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The report lists no other contributing factors. The impact left both vehicles damaged and both drivers conscious but hurt. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812910 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan reversed on Avenue M. The driver failed to yield. The car struck a 70-year-old man in the crosswalk. He suffered leg injuries. The street stayed busy. Danger lingered.

A sedan backed up on Avenue M at Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. The driver, a 51-year-old woman, struck a 70-year-old man crossing in a marked crosswalk. According to the police report, the driver was backing unsafely and failed to yield the right-of-way. The pedestrian suffered injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists 'Backing Unsafely' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. No other injuries were reported. The crash highlights the risk faced by pedestrians at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812500 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two sedans crashed on Farragut Road. Driver inattention and inexperience led to injury. One man suffered neck trauma. The street bore the weight of distraction.

Two sedans collided on Farragut Road in Brooklyn. According to the police report, both drivers were distracted and inexperienced. One male driver, age 31, suffered a neck injury and whiplash. Another occupant and a female driver, age 54, were also involved. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. No pedestrians or cyclists were reported hurt. Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead when the crash occurred.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811881 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate backs S 4804. The bill sets first responder safety zones and lowers speed limits. Lawmakers move to shield workers on chaotic streets. The vote is swift. The intent is clear. Danger zones get new rules.

Senate bill S 4804, titled 'Relates to establishing first responder safety zones and setting speed limits in such safety zones,' passed committee on April 29, 2025, and cleared the full Senate on May 6, 2025. Sponsored by Senator Christopher Ryan (District 50) with co-sponsors Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Robert Rolison, and William Weber, the bill aims to carve out protected zones for first responders and enforce lower speed limits in those areas. The measure won broad support, with nearly all senators voting yes. The bill targets the chaos and risk drivers pose to workers and bystanders at emergency scenes. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 4804, Open States, Published 2025-05-06

Senate backs S 4804. The bill sets first responder safety zones and lowers speed limits. Lawmakers move to shield workers on chaotic streets. The vote is swift. The intent is clear. Danger zones get new rules.

Senate bill S 4804, titled 'Relates to establishing first responder safety zones and setting speed limits in such safety zones,' passed committee on April 29, 2025, and cleared the full Senate on May 6, 2025. Sponsored by Senator Christopher Ryan (District 50) with co-sponsors Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Robert Rolison, and William Weber, the bill aims to carve out protected zones for first responders and enforce lower speed limits in those areas. The measure won broad support, with nearly all senators voting yes. The bill targets the chaos and risk drivers pose to workers and bystanders at emergency scenes. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 4804, Open States, Published 2025-05-06

A principal drove down Lenox Road, lost control, hit parked cars, and flipped his vehicle. Police pulled him from the wreck. He refused a Breathalyzer. Charges followed. The street bore the scars. The system let him drive. The danger stayed.

According to NY Daily News (2025-05-06), Gregory Jackson, principal of Brownsville Collaborative Middle School, crashed on Lenox Road near Utica Ave. Police say he struck several parked cars and overturned his vehicle around 11:30 p.m. Jackson told police he had 'only one drink.' He refused a Breathalyzer test at the scene. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while impaired, and refusing the test. The Department of Education referred questions to the NYPD. The incident highlights the ongoing risk posed by impaired drivers and the vulnerability of anyone near city streets, even when parked. Systemic gaps allow such danger to persist.

• Principal Overturns Car In Brooklyn Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-06

A moving sedan struck a parked car on Brooklyn Ave. The driver suffered a chest contusion. No pedestrians or cyclists involved. Police list contributing factors as unspecified.

A sedan heading south on Brooklyn Ave collided with a parked sedan near Avenue H in Brooklyn. One driver, a 41-year-old man, was injured with a chest contusion. According to the police report, both vehicles were sedans and the moving car struck the right rear bumper of the parked car. Police list contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No pedestrians, cyclists, or passengers were reported hurt. The report does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810851 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council passes law. Taxis and for-hire cars must post bold warnings on rear doors. Riders face the message: look for cyclists before swinging the door. A move to cut dooring. City acts. Cyclists stay in the crosshairs.

Int 0193-2024, now law, cleared the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and passed City Council on May 1, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law...requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door,' demands clear warning signs on all rear passenger doors. Lincoln Restler led as primary sponsor, joined by Gutiérrez, Hudson, Rivera, Won, and others. The Taxi and Limousine Commission must provide decals at no cost. The law aims to fight dooring, a threat to cyclists citywide. Enacted May 31, 2025, it takes effect in 120 days.

• File Int 0193-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-01

Council passes law. Taxis and for-hire cars must post bold warnings on rear doors. Riders face the message: look for cyclists before swinging the door. A move to cut dooring. City acts. Cyclists stay in the crosshairs.

Int 0193-2024, now law, cleared the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and passed City Council on May 1, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law...requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door,' demands clear warning signs on all rear passenger doors. Lincoln Restler led as primary sponsor, joined by Gutiérrez, Hudson, Rivera, Won, and others. The Taxi and Limousine Commission must provide decals at no cost. The law aims to fight dooring, a threat to cyclists citywide. Enacted May 31, 2025, it takes effect in 120 days.

• File Int 0193-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-01

Council passes law. Taxis and for-hire cars must post bold warnings on rear doors. Riders face the message: look for cyclists before swinging the door. A move to cut dooring. City acts. Cyclists stay in the crosshairs.

Int 0193-2024, now law, cleared the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and passed City Council on May 1, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law...requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door,' demands clear warning signs on all rear passenger doors. Lincoln Restler led as primary sponsor, joined by Gutiérrez, Hudson, Rivera, Won, and others. The Taxi and Limousine Commission must provide decals at no cost. The law aims to fight dooring, a threat to cyclists citywide. Enacted May 31, 2025, it takes effect in 120 days.

• File Int 0193-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-01

Council passes law. Taxis and for-hire cars must post bold warnings on rear doors. Riders face the message: look for cyclists before swinging the door. A move to cut dooring. City acts. Cyclists stay in the crosshairs.

Int 0193-2024, now law, cleared the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and passed City Council on May 1, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law...requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door,' demands clear warning signs on all rear passenger doors. Lincoln Restler led as primary sponsor, joined by Gutiérrez, Hudson, Rivera, Won, and others. The Taxi and Limousine Commission must provide decals at no cost. The law aims to fight dooring, a threat to cyclists citywide. Enacted May 31, 2025, it takes effect in 120 days.

• File Int 0193-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-01

A stolen Porsche sped through Brooklyn. Police set a trap. The driver tried to break through, nearly hitting an officer. A shot rang out. The car crashed. The driver died. The passenger survived. The street bore the cost.

According to the New York Post (April 30, 2025), police shot and killed the driver of a stolen Porsche after he "nearly struck an NYPD officer" while attempting to evade a roadblock near the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. Officers first noticed the vehicle due to stolen plates and tried to pull it over on Cropsey Avenue. The driver fled, leading police to set up a blockade. As the car tried to pass, an officer fired one round, striking the driver. The wounded man crashed into a police car and was later pronounced dead at Brookdale Hospital. The passenger was unharmed and taken into custody. The incident highlights the risks of high-speed chases and roadblocks in dense urban areas, where bystanders and officers face sudden danger.

• Police Shoot Driver At Brooklyn Roadblock, New York Post, Published 2025-04-30

Two sedans collided on Kings Highway. One driver, age 72, suffered arm abrasions. Police cite faulty traffic control devices. Streets failed to protect. Metal hit metal. Flesh tore.

Two sedans crashed at Kings Highway and East 40th Street in Brooklyn. A 72-year-old driver was injured, suffering abrasions to his arm. According to the police report, both vehicles were affected by 'Traffic Control Device Improper/Non-Working.' This failure in street signals or signage contributed directly to the collision. No other contributing factors were listed. The crash left one driver hurt and both vehicles damaged. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808300 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan stopped on Kings Highway. Another vehicle struck its rear. Two passengers inside suffered bruises and abrasions. Police cite driver inattention as the cause.

A sedan stopped in traffic on Kings Highway at Avenue K was rear-ended by another vehicle traveling north. Two passengers, a 40-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman, were injured, suffering bruises and abrasions. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was listed as the contributing factor. The driver and another occupant were not reported injured. No other contributing factors were cited in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808058 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council pushes Albany to force speed limiters on chronic speeders. The move targets reckless drivers. Streets stay deadly while the bill sits in committee. Pedestrians and cyclists wait for action.

Resolution 0854-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, urges passage of S.7621/A.7979. The measure calls for 'requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by nine co-sponsors including Yusef Salaam and Shahana Hanif. The bill landed in committee on April 24, 2025, with no vote yet. If passed at the state level, it would force repeat speeders to install devices that block speeding. The Council’s action highlights the ongoing risk to vulnerable road users as reckless drivers remain unchecked.

• File Res 0854-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-24

Council bill orders NYPD to check temp plates and VINs. Cops must publish parking enforcement reports. Bill sits in Public Safety. Streets stay risky while data hides in shadows.

Int 1252-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced April 24, 2025. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to police department parking enforcement.' Council Members Farah N. Louis (primary), Oswald Feliz, Justin L. Brannan, Lincoln Restler, Robert F. Holden, and Chris Banks sponsor the measure. It forces NYPD to verify license plates and VINs on vehicles with temp tags or those ticketed for violations. NYPD must also publish quarterly parking enforcement reports. No safety analyst has assessed the bill's impact on vulnerable road users.

• File Int 1252-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-24

A 101-year-old woman crossed with the light. An SUV turned left. The driver was unlicensed. She died days later. Her family mourns. The street remains the same.

According to the New York Post (April 24, 2025), Taibel Brod, 101, was fatally struck by a 2023 GMC Yukon while crossing Brooklyn Avenue at Montgomery Street in Crown Heights. Police say Brod had the light. The driver, Menachem Shagalow, 65, was unlicensed and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation and failure to exercise due care. The article quotes Brod's grandson: "She was extremely independent till her last day." Brod died less than two weeks after the crash. The incident highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians, especially from unlicensed drivers. Shagalow was released with a desk appearance ticket. The case underscores persistent gaps in enforcement and street design that leave vulnerable road users exposed.

• Unlicensed Driver Kills Brooklyn Matriarch, New York Post, Published 2025-04-24