Injured, Not Invisible: Demand Action on Deadly Streets

A driver struck a pedestrian in the Bronx. The driver fled. The victim died. Police search for answers. The street holds the mark. Another life lost to speed and steel.

CBS New York reported on May 10, 2025, that a pedestrian was killed in the Bronx by a driver who fled the scene. The article states, 'Police are searching for a driver who allegedly fled after striking and killing a pedestrian in the Bronx early Saturday morning.' The incident highlights the lethal risk faced by people on foot and the ongoing problem of hit-and-run crashes in New York City. The driver’s failure to remain at the scene is a clear violation of traffic law. The case underscores the need for stronger enforcement and systemic changes to protect vulnerable road users.

• Pedestrian Killed In Bronx Hit-And-Run, CBS New York, Published 2025-05-10

A BMW driver without a license struck and killed Dwight Downer outside his Bronx home. Police charged the driver with manslaughter. Speeding violations followed the crash. Downer’s family mourns. The street remains unchanged. The danger persists.

NY Daily News reported on May 8, 2025, that Sheydon McClean, an unlicensed BMW driver, was charged with manslaughter after a November 30 crash killed Dwight Downer, a retired correction officer and football coach, in Baychester. McClean remained at the scene, but police only charged him after further investigation. The article notes McClean’s BMW received at least three speeding violations from city cameras after the fatal crash. Downer’s mother said, 'These arrests cannot bring back my child. Still, something has to be done.' The case highlights the ongoing risks posed by unlicensed and repeat speeding drivers, and the limits of enforcement in preventing deadly crashes.

• Unlicensed Driver Kills Bronx Coach, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-08

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

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

Blood pooled on 149th Street. A man, beaten by a group after a roadside argument, lay with head trauma. The attackers fled. Police searched the night. The victim survived, but the scars of violence lingered in Mott Haven.

CBS New York reported on April 28, 2025, that a 37-year-old man was hospitalized after a violent road rage incident in the Bronx. The confrontation began as an argument between occupants of two cars near 149th Street and Brook Avenue. According to police, 'both parties got out of their cars,' and a group then 'started kicking and punching the 37-year-old victim, causing him to sustain significant head trauma.' The attackers fled before officers arrived. The victim was taken to Lincoln Hospital in critical condition. The incident occurred near a police precinct, highlighting ongoing dangers when disputes escalate on city streets. Police are searching for the suspects.

• Bronx Road Rage Leaves Man Hospitalized, CBS New York, Published 2025-04-28

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

A man clung to his car as a thief sped off. The vehicle dragged him down the street. Police found him battered, head and leg broken. The car, abandoned, bore scars of violence. The thief vanished. The city’s system failed to stop it.

According to the New York Post (April 25, 2025), a 32-year-old man was critically injured after being dragged by his own car during a daylight theft on Westchester Avenue in the Bronx. The article reports, 'Officers found the victim badly injured with trauma to his head and leg a block away.' Surveillance footage shows the man trying to stop the thief by grabbing the car window as it sped away. The Infiniti was later found abandoned with heavy damage. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the Bronx 'the absolute best place' in New York City to steal a car, citing a 3.6% rise in thefts in the borough, despite a citywide decrease. The incident highlights ongoing gaps in car theft prevention and prosecution.

• Man Dragged By Stolen Car In Bronx, New York Post, Published 2025-04-25

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

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

A Mercedes slammed into Darryl Mathis Jr.'s stalled car on the Major Deegan. Mathis called for help, then for an ambulance. The driver fled. Paramedics rushed Mathis to the hospital. He died. The killer behind the wheel vanished into the night.

NY Daily News reported on March 24, 2025, that Darryl Mathis Jr. was killed when a Mercedes-Benz rear-ended his disabled Ford on the Major Deegan Expressway. Mathis, stranded after his battery died, called friends for help. As one friend recounted, 'He called to get a jump, and after that, he got hit from behind, a hit-and-run.' The Mercedes driver fled the scene and has not been caught. Mathis was transported to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died. The crash highlights the dangers faced by stranded motorists on city highways and the deadly consequences when drivers flee. No policy changes or enforcement actions were detailed in the article.

• Hit-And-Run Kills Stranded Bronx Motorist, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-24

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

After a hit-and-run injured a child, Bronx lawmakers called for speed humps and stop signs. They refused proven fixes like road diets and daylighting. Council Member Dinowitz claimed streets are too narrow for lane removal. DOT denied their request, citing low crash data.

On March 10, 2025, Council Member Eric Dinowitz and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz pressed the city for speed humps and four-way stop signs in Riverdale, following a hit-and-run that injured a 9-year-old girl. Their request, sent to the Department of Transportation before the crash, was denied due to low car volumes and insufficient crash history. The lawmakers, at a press conference, supported speed humps and stop signs but opposed road diets and universal daylighting. Eric Dinowitz argued, 'If you walked down any of these streets, they are far too narrow to narrow any more.' He also rejected citywide daylighting, insisting, 'Daylighting has to be done corner by corner.' The council member has criticized DOT’s safety efforts before, framing the agency as unresponsive. No safety analyst assessment was provided for this action.

• Riverdale Pols Push for Some Street Safety, But Balk at More Serious Interventions, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-10

After a hit-and-run injured a child, Bronx lawmakers called for speed humps and stop signs. They refused proven fixes like road diets and daylighting. Council Member Dinowitz claimed streets are too narrow for lane removal. DOT denied their request, citing low crash data.

On March 10, 2025, Council Member Eric Dinowitz and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz pressed the city for speed humps and four-way stop signs in Riverdale, following a hit-and-run that injured a 9-year-old girl. Their request, sent to the Department of Transportation before the crash, was denied due to low car volumes and insufficient crash history. The lawmakers, at a press conference, supported speed humps and stop signs but opposed road diets and universal daylighting. Eric Dinowitz argued, 'If you walked down any of these streets, they are far too narrow to narrow any more.' He also rejected citywide daylighting, insisting, 'Daylighting has to be done corner by corner.' The council member has criticized DOT’s safety efforts before, framing the agency as unresponsive. No safety analyst assessment was provided for this action.

• Riverdale Pols Push for Some Street Safety, But Balk at More Serious Interventions, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-10

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

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

A city bus swerved to dodge a double-parked car. It crashed through a wall and dangled over a Bronx overpass. No one was hurt. Debris rained down. The city’s parking chaos left concrete cracked and nerves frayed.

NY1 reported on January 17, 2025, that a BxM1 MTA bus partially drove off the Henry Hudson Parkway overpass near Kappock Street after the driver swerved to avoid a double-parked car. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz stated, "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." The crash damaged the overpass wall and scattered debris onto the street below. No injuries were reported, though conflicting accounts left passenger presence unclear. City Councilman Eric Dinowitz highlighted the broader issue: "We’re seeing all over the city parking regulations not being enforced." The incident underscores the risks posed by illegal parking and the need for stricter enforcement and infrastructure checks.

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

Senate bill S 1675 would force carmakers to face the facts. Every vehicle gets a pedestrian safety score. The public sees it. No more hiding danger behind steel and glass.

Senate bill S 1675, now at the sponsorship stage, sits with the New York State Senate. Filed January 13, 2025, it aims to 'create a pedestrian safety rating system for motor vehicles which shall be posted on the department of motor vehicles' website.' Senator Andrew Gounardes leads, joined by Leroy Comrie, Michael Gianaris, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Robert Jackson, Liz Krueger, Zellnor Myrie, Gustavo Rivera, Julia Salazar, Luis R. Sepúlveda, and Toby Ann Stavisky. The bill demands transparency. It would show the public which cars endanger walkers and which spare them. No safety analyst has yet weighed in, but the intent is clear: expose the risk, protect the vulnerable.

• File S 1675, Open States, Published 2025-01-13

Assembly bill A 1077 pushes for streets built for people, not just cars. Dozens of lawmakers back safer roads. The bill stands at sponsorship. No vote yet. Vulnerable users wait for action.

Assembly bill A 1077, now in sponsorship, aims to 'enable safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles.' Introduced January 8, 2025, the bill sits in committee. Jonathan Rivera leads as primary sponsor, joined by over 60 co-sponsors including Patrick Burke, Robert C. Carroll, and Catalina Cruz. No votes have been cast. The bill's language centers all road users, not just drivers. No safety analyst has yet assessed its impact on vulnerable road users. The measure signals intent but action remains pending.

• File A 1077, Open States, Published 2025-01-08

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