Blood on Seward Avenue: No One Safe, No One Speaking Up

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 1 - Two SUVs crashed on White Plains Road. One driver suffered a bruised arm. Unsafe lane changing triggered the impact. Metal struck metal. Streets stayed dangerous.

Two SUVs collided at White Plains Road and Bruckner Boulevard in the Bronx. According to the police report, one driver was injured with a contusion to the upper arm. The crash involved a right turn and a straight-moving vehicle. Police listed 'Unsafe Lane Changing' as the main contributing factor. Both drivers were licensed and wore seat belts. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The report does not specify further injuries. Unsafe lane changing remains a repeated danger in these collisions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4803632 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 22 - A black Mercedes slammed into a Ford on the Major Deegan. Both cars spun out. The Mercedes driver ran. The Ford driver died at St. Barnabas. Police closed the highway for hours. No arrests. The city’s roads stay deadly.

NY Daily News reported on March 22, 2025, that a 39-year-old driver was killed after a black Mercedes-Benz rear-ended his Ford Crown Victoria on the Major Deegan Expressway. The article states, “The hit-and-run driver responsible escaped on foot, police said.” Both vehicles lost control and crashed. Emergency services transported the victim to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died. The Mercedes driver fled the scene, and no arrests have been made. Police closed the southbound lanes for several hours during the investigation. The crash highlights the lethal consequences of rear-end collisions and the persistent risk posed by hit-and-run drivers on New York City highways.

• Bronx Highway Hit-And-Run Kills Driver, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-22

Mar 13 - An e-scooter driver suffered a head contusion after colliding with a sedan on Bruckner Blvd. The rider was conscious but injured, with no safety equipment reported. The sedan traveled north, striking the scooter’s front center, causing serious injury.

According to the police report, a collision occurred on Bruckner Blvd at 11:46 involving a northbound sedan and an e-scooter. The e-scooter driver, a 29-year-old male, sustained a head injury classified as a contusion and was conscious at the scene. The report states the scooter was impacted at its center front end by the sedan, which was traveling straight ahead northbound. The e-scooter driver was not using any safety equipment at the time. The report lists unspecified contributing factors for the e-scooter driver but does not identify any driver errors or violations by the sedan operator. No ejection occurred, and the sedan had no occupants. The collision caused damage to the front center of the e-scooter and other damage to the sedan.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798616 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 26 - A city bus turned onto Brook Avenue. The driver struck a cyclist. The man died at the scene. Police stayed. No charges filed. Another crash in Queens left one dead, one charged. The city’s streets remain hostile to the unprotected.

Gothamist reported on February 26, 2025, that an MTA bus driver fatally struck a 57-year-old cyclist while turning from East 149th Street onto Brook Avenue in the Bronx. The crash happened around 10:45 p.m. The bus, running as a subway replacement shuttle, was empty. The driver stayed at the scene and was not charged. NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad is reviewing the incident. The article also details a separate fatal crash in Queens involving a suspected drunk driver. As Gothamist notes, 'Police are investigating two fatal crashes in the Bronx and Queens.' The Bronx crash highlights the persistent risks at intersections where turning vehicles endanger cyclists. No policy changes were announced.

• MTA Bus Turns, Cyclist Killed Bronx, Gothamist, Published 2025-02-26

Feb 25 - A moped slammed into a minivan in Soundview. Two teens thrown. One died. The other survived. The driver stayed. Police probe who had the right of way. Another young life lost on Bronx streets.

Gothamist (2025-02-25) reports a fatal crash at Metcalf Avenue and East 172nd Street in the Bronx. A 17-year-old, Juan Alexander Quizhpi Naranjo, drove a moped with a 14-year-old passenger when they collided with a Honda Odyssey. Both were thrown from the moped. Quizhpi Naranjo died at Jacobi Hospital; the girl survived. The minivan driver, 42, remained at the scene and faced no charges. NYPD's Collision Investigation Squad is still determining 'who had the right of way and whether a traffic violation played a role.' This marks the second traffic death this year in the 43rd Precinct, highlighting ongoing dangers for young road users.

• Bronx Teen Killed In Moped-Minivan Crash, Gothamist, Published 2025-02-25

Feb 22 - A 22-year-old female e-scooter driver suffered full-body injuries and shock after a collision on Soundview Avenue in the Bronx. The vehicle struck her on the left front bumper while both were traveling straight. No vehicle damage was reported.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 8:25 AM on Soundview Avenue in the Bronx. A female e-scooter driver, age 22, was injured with complaints of pain and nausea and was in shock. The report notes the e-scooter was traveling southeast, and the other vehicle was traveling east, both going straight ahead. The point of impact was the left front bumper of the e-scooter and the center front end of the other vehicle. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but does not identify driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The e-scooter driver was not ejected and was not using any safety equipment. Vehicle damage was reported as none. The data focuses on the collision impact and injuries without assigning fault to the victim.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4794475 - 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 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

Jan 22 - Sedan in police pursuit slammed into SUVs on Bruckner Expressway. Aggressive driving sent metal flying. Two young women in one SUV suffered whiplash and full-body injuries. Both survived, shaken and hurt.

According to the police report, a sedan engaged in a police pursuit crashed into multiple SUVs traveling south on Bruckner Expressway. The report lists aggressive driving and road rage as the sole contributing factors. The sedan struck the left rear quarter panel of one SUV and the left front of another. Two 20-year-old female occupants in one SUV—the driver and front passenger—were injured, suffering whiplash and injuries to their entire bodies. Both were conscious and restrained by lap belts and harnesses. No victim actions contributed to the crash. The report highlights aggressive driving as the driver error that triggered this chain-reaction collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790357 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 17 - A city bus teetered over a Bronx overpass after swerving to dodge a double-parked car. Steel scraped concrete. Debris rained down. No one was hurt. The wall broke. The rules broke first.

NY1 reported on January 17, 2025, that a BxM1 MTA bus nearly plunged from the Henry Hudson Parkway overpass after the driver swerved to avoid an illegally double-parked car. The bus crashed into the wall, leaving it hanging over the edge. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said, "We’re told by the MTA that the bus was trying to get around an illegally double-parked car, and he hit the wall and went through it." No injuries were reported, but the crash caused structural damage and scattered debris below. City Councilman Eric Dinowitz noted, "It speaks to the importance of enforcing our parking rules because it was going around a double-parked car." The incident highlights the danger posed by lax parking enforcement and infrastructure vulnerable to impact.

• MTA Bus Hangs Off Bronx Overpass, NY1, Published 2025-01-17

Jan 8 - Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly crossings for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, forces the Department of Transportation to install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. The bill, sponsored by Farah N. Louis (primary) and co-sponsored by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, Ariola, and others, passed on March 15, 2025. The law demands annual reporting on compliance and reasons for any delay. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Quick, visible lines cut confusion and protect people crossing or riding. The law took effect immediately.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-01-08

Jan 8 - Senate bill S 131 demands complete street design for state-funded projects. Sponsors push for safer roads. Guidance will go public. Streets could change. Pedestrians and cyclists stand to gain.

Senate bill S 131 was introduced on January 8, 2025, now in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'Requires the consideration of complete street design for certain transportation projects which receive federal or state funding,' aims to force safer street planning. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan leads, joined by co-sponsors Jamaal Bailey, Jabari Brisport, Samra Brouk, Cordell Cleare, Leroy Comrie, Jeremy Cooney, Nathalia Fernandez, Michael Gianaris, Kristen Gonzalez, Robert Jackson, Rachel May, Kevin S. Parker, Christopher Ryan, and Luis R. Sepúlveda. The bill also orders the department to publish guidance on street design. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 131, Open States, Published 2025-01-08

Jan 7 - An 18-year-old e-scooter rider bled onto Lafayette Avenue. The street did not yield. He stayed conscious, his face torn open. The pavement, unmoving, marked his southbound path with blood.

An 18-year-old male riding an e-scooter southbound on Lafayette Avenue near White Plains Road in the Bronx sustained a severe facial injury, according to the police report. The report states the rider was not wearing a helmet and was traveling straight ahead when the crash occurred. The narrative describes, 'Blood ran from his face. He stayed awake. The pavement did not move.' Police classified the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No other vehicles or persons were involved, and there is no indication of driver error by another party. The report notes the rider's lack of helmet use, but lists this detail only after describing the incident and does not attribute it as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the physical consequences and the environment, with no blame assigned to the injured rider.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4784508 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 7 - A sedan traveling south rear-ended a stopped vehicle on Soundview Avenue in the Bronx. The front passenger of the stopped car suffered neck injuries and whiplash. Unsafe speed by the striking driver caused the collision, highlighting driver error and risk.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Soundview Avenue in the Bronx at 3:15 AM. A sedan registered in New York was traveling south and struck the center back end of a stopped sedan registered in New Jersey. The report cites "Unsafe Speed" as a contributing factor to the collision. The impact caused injuries to the front passenger of the stopped vehicle, a 31-year-old male who suffered neck injuries and whiplash, and was wearing a lap belt at the time. The passenger was not ejected but experienced shock. The striking vehicle was moving straight ahead, while the struck vehicle was stopped in traffic. This crash underscores the dangers posed by drivers failing to adjust speed appropriately, resulting in rear-end collisions and serious injuries to vehicle occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4778479 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 26 - A sedan making a left turn struck a 13-year-old e-scooter rider traveling straight on Seward Avenue in the Bronx. The unlicensed e-scooter driver suffered chest injuries and abrasions. The sedan’s right rear quarter panel was damaged in the collision.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 18:50 on Seward Avenue in the Bronx. The sedan, driven by a licensed male driver traveling northwest, was making a left turn when it struck the e-scooter rider, a 13-year-old boy traveling south. The point of impact was the sedan’s right rear quarter panel and the e-scooter’s center front end. The e-scooter driver was injured with chest abrasions and remained conscious. The report lists no specific contributing factors for the crash, but the sedan’s left turn maneuver directly preceded the impact. The e-scooter driver was unlicensed, though this is not cited as a contributing factor. The collision highlights the danger posed by turning vehicles to vulnerable riders traveling straight through intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774563 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 19 - A 24-year-old woman suffered knee and lower leg injuries after a sedan struck her at a Bronx intersection late at night. The driver was making a left turn when the impact occurred. The pedestrian was left in shock, complaining of pain and nausea.

According to the police report, a 24-year-old female pedestrian was injured at the intersection of Pugsley Avenue and Story Avenue in the Bronx around 11:40 p.m. The pedestrian was located at the intersection when a 2015 Jeep sedan, traveling south and making a left turn, struck her with its center front end. The pedestrian sustained injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, resulting in a complaint of pain and nausea and emotional shock. The report does not specify contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield, but the collision occurred during the driver's left turn maneuver. No damage was reported to the vehicle. The pedestrian's actions are listed as unknown, and no victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4772717 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 15 - SUV struck a 41-year-old man on Bruckner Expressway. The impact threw him unconscious with a severe head injury. The crash happened outside an intersection. No driver errors listed in the report.

According to the police report, a 41-year-old male pedestrian was hit by a 2015 Chrysler SUV traveling east on Bruckner Expressway at 3:56 a.m. The SUV struck him with its right front bumper. The pedestrian was in the roadway, not at an intersection, performing unspecified actions. He suffered a serious head injury and was found unconscious. The report lists no specific driver contributing factors. The driver was licensed in New York and had two occupants in the vehicle. No pedestrian behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4771570 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 1 - A sedan turns left on Pugsley Avenue. Its bumper slams a young woman’s neck as she crosses with the light. Blood pools on the dark street. The driver looked away. The car is untouched. The woman is not.

According to the police report, a sedan making a left turn on Pugsley Avenue near Seward Avenue struck a 24-year-old woman as she crossed the intersection with the signal. The report states she suffered a neck injury and severe bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. Police attribute the crash to 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The driver, licensed and operating a 2015 Honda sedan, looked away during the turn, according to the narrative. The vehicle sustained no damage. The woman’s action—'Crossing With Signal'—is noted in the report, but only after the driver’s errors are cited as contributing factors. The collision underscores the persistent danger left-turning vehicles pose to pedestrians in city intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768704 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 15 - A sedan struck a motorcycle on Story Avenue. The rider flew from the bike. He landed hard. His leg and foot took the blow. The night air was quiet. The street was not.

According to the police report, a sedan and a motorcycle collided at 22:48 on Story Avenue in the Bronx. The sedan hit the motorcycle's center front end. The 37-year-old motorcycle driver was ejected and suffered injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report notes the rider wore a helmet. Both vehicles were traveling straight before the crash. No driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding were listed. The report cites unspecified contributing factors. The impact left the motorcycle rider seriously hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4763760 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19