No More Excuses: Demand Safe Streets Before Another Life Is Lost

Apr 27 - Francisco Guzman Parra died in a burning car after a police chase in Inwood. Officers left the scene unreported. Family demands answers. Two investigations run. Streets stay dangerous. System failed to protect. The dead remain silent.

CBS New York reported on April 27, 2025, that Francisco Andres Guzman Parra, 31, died after crashing a stolen vehicle on Dyckman Street in Manhattan following an NYPD pursuit. The article states, "NYPD sources said the two officers in pursuit returned to their stationhouse without reporting the crash." The FDNY later found Guzman Parra dead in the burning car. Patrick Hendry of the Police Benevolent Association claimed officers "lost sight of the car and did not know it crashed," but the family's attorney, Jeremy Feigenbaum, said their investigation "has not corroborated the officers' claim." The officers remain on leave as both the NYPD and the New York attorney general's office investigate. The case raises questions about police pursuit protocols and reporting failures.

• NYPD Pursuit Ends In Fatal Crash, CBS New York, Published 2025-04-27

Apr 26 - A man clung to his car as a thief sped off. The driver sideswiped a parked car. The victim fell, suffering head trauma and a shattered leg. He faces amputation. The car was found abandoned. The street bears old scars.

NY Daily News reported on April 26, 2025, that a 32-year-old man in Pelham Bay, Bronx, was critically injured after trying to stop a carjacker. Surveillance video shows the victim sprinting to his double-parked Infiniti as a suspect entered and sped away. The suspect sideswiped a parked car, knocking the victim to the street. He suffered head trauma and a fractured leg, and may require amputation. The article quotes a local, 'This has absolutely happened before,' highlighting repeated car thefts in the area. The car was later found abandoned. The incident underscores persistent dangers for bystanders and the ongoing threat of vehicle theft in city neighborhoods.

• Bronx Carjacking Leaves Man Critically Injured, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-26

Apr 22 - Three new microhubs now stand on Upper West Side streets. Trucks unload cargo. E-cargo bikes and hand carts finish the job. Fewer trucks double-park. Streets clear. Council Member Gale Brewer backs the move. The city tests safer, cleaner delivery.

On April 22, 2025, the NYC Department of Transportation launched a microhub pilot on the Upper West Side. The program opened three delivery hubs at Amsterdam Avenue at 85th Street, Amsterdam at 73rd Street, and Broadway at 77th Street. According to the DOT, these hubs are part of a three-year pilot under the Curb Management Action Plan. The official matter summary states: 'The DOT unveiled three new microhubs to promote cleaner, greener, last-mile deliveries.' Council Member Gale A. Brewer, representing District 6, applauded the initiative, saying, 'It is incredibly important to have these hubs where we can pull the trucks off the streets and get the delivery via bicycle.' The pilot aims to cut truck congestion, reduce double parking, and shift deliveries to low-emission modes. Delivery giants like Amazon and UPS will use the hubs. The city hopes to make streets safer for everyone.

• Three new microhubs now allocated for delivery drop off on Upper West Side streets, amny.com, Published 2025-04-22

Apr 21 - Two sedans collided in the Bronx. Three people hurt, including two children. Police cite driver inattention. Metal and glass, head injuries, cries in the street.

Two sedans crashed at 69 West 225th Street in the Bronx. Three people were injured: a 32-year-old woman, a 5-year-old girl, and a 1-year-old boy, all suffering head injuries. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was the contributing factor. Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead when they collided. The crash left children and adults hurt, with the youngest victims riding as rear passengers. Police data lists no other contributing factors before noting use of seat belts and child restraints.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807510 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 15 - Steel met steel at dawn. The box truck flipped. Three people hurt—two in the ambulance, one in the truck. Sirens wailed. All went to Jacobi. The cause is still a question. The Bronx street stayed dangerous.

ABC7 reported on April 15, 2025, that an ambulance and a box truck collided at Pelham Parkway South and Williamsbridge Road in the Bronx just after 6:30 a.m. The article states, "The box truck overturned in the crash. Three people were hurt: the box truck driver and two ambulance workers." All were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. The cause remains under investigation. The crash highlights risks at busy intersections and the potential for severe outcomes when large vehicles collide. No driver actions have been detailed yet. The incident underscores ongoing safety concerns for workers and drivers on city streets.

• Ambulance, Truck Crash Injures Three Bronx, ABC7, Published 2025-04-15

Apr 12 - A stolen car slammed into a Manhattan building. Flames followed. The driver, Francisco Guzman Parra, died on impact. His family waited days for answers. Police actions now face scrutiny. The city counts another life lost to speed and steel.

The New York Times (April 12, 2025) reports on the death of Francisco Guzman Parra after a stolen Honda CRV crashed into a building in Inwood, Manhattan. The crash followed a police chase; two officers involved were suspended pending investigation. The article notes, "The police are investigating whether the officers left the scene without reporting the crash." The medical examiner found Guzman Parra died from blunt impact and thermal injuries. The NYPD force investigation unit and state attorney general are reviewing the incident. The police have not disclosed why the chase began or details about the pursuit. The case highlights ongoing questions about police pursuit policies and the dangers that follow high-speed chases through city streets.

• Police Chase Ends Inwood Crash Death, The New York Times, Published 2025-04-12

Apr 11 - Including Thursday's deadly crash, 25 people have been killed in New York City sightseeing helicopter accidents in the last 40 years.

• Lawmakers aim to make changes after New York City sightseeing helicopter crash, ABC7, Published 2025-04-11

Apr 11 - Council passed two bills forcing DOT to show its work. Lawmakers demand public trackers for street safety projects. DOT resists, citing complexity. Advocates want more than data—they want action. Transparency is a start, but not the finish.

"[DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez] knows very well that no Council Member votes on where a bike lane is placed or where a rapid bus lane is going to be placed... it is [the DOT's] responsibility to take their capital plan and implement it." -- Ydanis A. Rodriguez

On April 11, 2025, the City Council passed Intro 1105 and Intro 1114. Both bills require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to create public trackers for capital projects tied to the Streets Master Plan. Intro 1105, sponsored by Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers, mandates a tracker for projects that count toward safety benchmarks. Intro 1114, sponsored by Council Member Julie Won, calls for a broader capital projects tracker. The bills respond to the Adams administration's failure to meet legal targets for bus and bike lanes. Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said, 'Today’s legislation will advance greater transparency.' DOT officials pushed back, arguing project work is not linear and trackers have limited use. Won countered, 'It is [the DOT's] responsibility to take their capital plan and implement it.' Advocates and council members agree: tracking is only a first step. Without real follow-through, data alone will not save lives.

• Council To DOT: Do Better At Tracking Projects (So We Can See When You Fail), Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-11

Apr 10 - Council passed a law forcing DOT to post sharp, regular updates on street safety projects. Progress on bike lanes, bus lanes, and signals must go public. No more hiding delays or cost overruns. The city must show its work.

Bill Int 1105-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced November 13, 2024, it passed Council on April 10, 2025, and became law May 10, 2025. The bill's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' Council Member Julie Won led sponsorship, joined by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others. The law demands DOT post annual and monthly updates on every project tied to the master plan—listing details, timelines, funding, and setbacks. This law brings sunlight to street safety work, making the city answer for every mile and missed deadline.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-10

Apr 10 - Council passed a law forcing DOT to post sharp, regular updates on street safety projects. Progress on bike lanes, bus lanes, and signals must go public. No more hiding delays or cost overruns. The city must show its work.

Bill Int 1105-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced November 13, 2024, it passed Council on April 10, 2025, and became law May 10, 2025. The bill's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' Council Member Julie Won led sponsorship, joined by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others. The law demands DOT post annual and monthly updates on every project tied to the master plan—listing details, timelines, funding, and setbacks. This law brings sunlight to street safety work, making the city answer for every mile and missed deadline.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-10

Apr 10 - Council passed a law forcing DOT to post sharp, regular updates on street safety projects. Progress on bike lanes, bus lanes, and signals must go public. No more hiding delays or cost overruns. The city must show its work.

Bill Int 1105-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced November 13, 2024, it passed Council on April 10, 2025, and became law May 10, 2025. The bill's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' Council Member Julie Won led sponsorship, joined by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others. The law demands DOT post annual and monthly updates on every project tied to the master plan—listing details, timelines, funding, and setbacks. This law brings sunlight to street safety work, making the city answer for every mile and missed deadline.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-10

Apr 7 - A box truck struck a man sitting in the street at West 40th and 9th. The man died at the scene. The driver stayed. Police are investigating. No arrests. The victim’s name is not known.

Patch reported on April 7, 2025, that a man was killed by a box truck at West 40th Street and 9th Avenue in Manhattan. The article states, “Police determined that a box truck, operated by a 75-year-old man, was traveling southbound on 9 Avenue when the vehicle collided with the victim, who was sitting in the roadway.” The driver remained at the scene and was not injured. No arrests have been made. The victim’s identity has not been released. The incident highlights the persistent risk to people in city streets and the need for scrutiny of how large vehicles interact with vulnerable road users. The investigation is ongoing.

• Box Truck Kills Man In Hell's Kitchen, Patch, Published 2025-04-07

Apr 6 - Inza Fofana left work, crossed E. 149th Street. A van hit him midblock. Two more cars struck as he lay in the road. Medics rushed him back to Lincoln Hospital. He died. His family mourns. The intersection stays dangerous.

NY Daily News reported on April 6, 2025, that Inza Fofana, a 52-year-old hospital cleaner and immigrant, was fatally struck after his shift at Lincoln Hospital. The crash occurred midblock at E. 149th St. and Morris Ave. Police said a 2019 Ford Transit van, turning left, hit Fofana as he crossed. The article quotes his sister-in-law: "He was going to buy socks. That's why he crossed the street." Police told the family that after the initial impact, two more vehicles struck Fofana. The driver remained at the scene and faced no immediate charges. Family members called for more safety measures at the busy intersection, noting, "There has to be a cross guard over there for the pedestrian to cross the street safely." The incident highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians at wide, high-traffic Bronx crossings.

• Bronx Hospital Worker Killed Crossing Street, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-06

Apr 3 - A stolen SUV crashed and burned in Inwood. Two NYPD officers chased it, then left the wreck. The driver died in the flames. The officers returned to their Bronx precinct. They did not report the crash. Both are now suspended.

According to the NY Daily News (April 3, 2025), two NYPD officers pursued a stolen Honda CR-V from the Bronx into Manhattan. The chase ended when the SUV crashed into a building near Dyckman St and burst into flames. The officers 'fled the scene,' leaving the driver, who died in the fire. Surveillance footage showed their patrol car leaving. The officers did not report the incident and finished their shift. Both were suspended as the NYPD Force Investigation Division launched a probe. This crash comes after the NYPD tightened pursuit policies, now allowing chases only for felonies or violent misdemeanors. The department aims to avoid pursuits that 'lead to crashes and injure other motorists and pedestrians.' NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said police would instead use 'advanced tools of modern-day policing' to track suspects.

• Officers Flee Scene After Fatal Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-03

Apr 3 - Brooklyn’s Ashland Place stays deadly. DOT delays a promised bike lane. Elected officials and residents demand action. Private interests block progress. Cyclists face crashes and fear. The city shrugs. The gap remains. Lives hang in the balance.

On April 3, 2025, a coalition of Brooklyn officials—including Council Members Crystal Hudson, Shahana Hanif, Lincoln Restler, Assembly Members Andrew Gounardes, Jo Anne Simon, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Borough President Antonio Reynoso—sent a letter urging DOT to finish the protected bike lane on Ashland Place. The letter called the block a 'missing link in Brooklyn’s protected bike lane network.' Brooklyn Community Board 2 backed the demand. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and Borough Commissioner Keith Bray offered only vague replies. The block’s exclusion traces to a mayoral advisor’s intervention for developer Two Trees. Advocates like Kathy Park Price slammed the city: 'Private interests are able to redesign our streets, prioritizing vehicles over safety at a critical corridor.' Despite unanimous support, DOT keeps the street dangerous. The city’s inaction leaves cyclists exposed and the community frustrated.

• ‘Crashland’: As Demand Grows, DOT Still Won’t Finish Bike Lane on Dangerous Brooklyn Road, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-03

Apr 1 - After a crash killed a mother and two daughters in Gravesend, advocates and Council Member Shahana Hanif rallied for the Stop Super Speeders bill. The law would force repeat reckless drivers to use speed-limiting tech. Survivors demand action. Lawmakers promise change.

On April 1, 2025, Council Member Shahana Hanif joined a rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall demanding passage of the Stop Super Speeders bill. The bill, sponsored in Albany by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, would require drivers with repeated violations to install intelligent speed assistance (ISA) devices. These devices cap speed at 5 mph over the limit for those with 11 or more license points in 24 months or six camera tickets in a year. The rally followed a fatal Gravesend crash that killed a mother and her two daughters. Hanif and other lawmakers called current enforcement—ticketing, suspensions, fines, jail—ineffective. Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon said, 'The speed limiter technology is available to us. Let’s use it. It will save lives.' The bill is modeled on EU and Virginia laws. Some opposition remains, but supporters say the measure is urgent and practical.

• ‘Enough is enough’: Street safety advocates demand passage of ‘Stop Super Speeders’ bill after tragic Gravesend crash, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2025-04-01

Mar 28 - Three sedans collided in a chain reaction on the Major Deegan Expressway. Alcohol involvement was cited as a contributing factor. A front passenger suffered neck injuries and whiplash. All vehicles were traveling southbound when the impact occurred.

According to the police report, a chain collision involving three sedans occurred on the Major Deegan Expressway at 17:48. All vehicles were traveling southbound, with impacts centered on the back ends and front ends of the vehicles. The report cites alcohol involvement as a contributing factor, indicating impaired driver behavior played a role in the crash. One occupant, a 28-year-old male front passenger, sustained neck injuries and complained of whiplash. The passenger was conscious and not ejected from the vehicle. The drivers were licensed and operating their vehicles going straight ahead. The collision sequence and damage points suggest a failure to maintain safe following distances or control, exacerbated by alcohol use. No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806663 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 27 - Cuomo backs e-bike registration. Critics say it targets families, seniors, and delivery workers. DOT calls it costly, unproven. Advocates demand safer streets, not new hurdles. Motor vehicles, not e-bikes, remain the real threat. The fight over who belongs on city roads rages on.

On March 27, 2025, mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo supported a Republican-backed proposal to require registration and license plates for all e-bikes in New York City. The plan, not yet introduced as a formal bill, would cost $20 million, according to the Department of Transportation. The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from e-bike users, advocates, and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. The matter centers on Cuomo's claim that registration will address 'chaos and promote safety.' Critics, including Queens cycling advocate Jim Burke and safe streets organizer Noel Hidalgo, argue the measure 'demonizes' e-bike users and ignores the real danger: reckless driving by motorists. Advocates say the plan would harm families, seniors, and delivery workers who rely on e-bikes, especially in transit deserts. They urge lawmakers to focus on street design and car enforcement, not new restrictions. The proposal has not advanced to committee or vote.

• Candidate Cuomo’s E-Bike Restrictions ‘Demonize’ Those Who Need Them, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-27

Mar 25 - A distracted SUV driver rear-ended a sedan on Broadway in the Bronx late at night. Three vehicle occupants suffered neck, head, and chest injuries. All were restrained but left in shock, highlighting the dangers of driver inattention on city streets.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 11:45 p.m. on Broadway in the Bronx. A 2015 Chevrolet SUV traveling south struck the right rear bumper of a 2008 Honda sedan also traveling south. The point of impact was the SUV's right rear bumper and the sedan's left front bumper. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for the SUV driver, a 19-year-old male. Three occupants in the SUV were injured: the driver, a 19-year-old male with no visible injuries but in shock; a 22-year-old male rear passenger with neck injuries and whiplash; and a 23-year-old female rear passenger with head injuries and whiplash. All occupants were restrained with lap belts and harnesses and were not ejected. The injuries and shock underscore the severe consequences of driver distraction in multi-vehicle crashes.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4801373 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 24 - Council Transportation Chair Brooks-Powers wants the Beach 20th Street protected bike lane gone. She blames illegal parking, not enforcement. Cyclists lose space. The city risks more danger. DOT says it will look at hardening the lane and boosting enforcement.

On March 24, 2025, Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, chair of the Transportation Committee, called for the removal of the protected bike lane on Beach 20th Street in Arverne, Queens. At a community meeting, Brooks-Powers said, "We’ve been trying to get [the bike lane] removed for three years. It wasn’t supported by the community. ... In effect it’s not a bike lane quite honestly; no one uses it, they [drivers] park there. We would like to see the hard infrastructure removed." Instead of demanding enforcement against illegal parking, she wants the lane ripped out, returning the street to a more dangerous state for cyclists and pedestrians. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez replied that building safe bike lanes requires support from local leaders. DOT spokesperson Will Livingston said the agency remains committed to safety and will explore hardening the lane and increasing enforcement.

• Council Transportation Chair Asks DOT To Rip Up a Bike Lane, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-24