Morningside Heights: Drivers Keep Hitting. Officials Keep Waiting.

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 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 5 - Two SUVs and a sedan collided on Riverside Drive. Three people hurt. Head and shoulder injuries. Police cite reaction to another vehicle. Metal twisted. Sirens wailed.

Two SUVs and a sedan collided on Riverside Drive near West 119th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, three people were injured: two drivers suffered head injuries and a rear passenger reported shoulder pain. The crash involved a reaction to an uninvolved vehicle, as noted in the police report. No driver-specific errors like speeding or failure to yield were listed. The report does not mention helmet or signal use as contributing factors. The impact left metal bent and lives disrupted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4803732 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Apr 1 - Sedans collided on Henry Hudson Parkway. One driver suffered back injury and concussion. Police cite following too closely. Metal, glass, pain. System failed to protect.

Two sedans collided on Henry Hudson Parkway in Manhattan. According to the police report, one driver suffered a back injury and concussion. The crash involved a rear-end impact, with the front of one sedan striking the back of another. Police list 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor. No other errors or factors are cited. The toll: one injured, others shaken. The system left a gap, and the gap closed fast.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4802973 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Mar 26 - Albany has no plan. The MTA faces a $35-billion hole. City lawmakers reject a payroll tax hike unless suburbs pay too. Federal officials blast subway decay. Riders wait. The capital plan hangs in limbo. Danger grows with every delay.

On March 26, 2025, state budget talks stalled over the MTA's 2025-29 capital plan. The $35-billion gap remains. The matter, described as a 'lack of a concrete plan from New York State leaders,' sits unresolved. Assembly Member Micah Lasher calls for regional funding, arguing suburbs benefit most. City lawmakers oppose a payroll tax hike limited to New York City. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie offers only vague assurances. MTA Chairman Janno Lieber warns the capital plan is as vital as Medicare. Federal officials, including U.S. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy, criticize subway neglect and demand improvements before aid. Gov. Hochul’s office claims progress and urges fair federal funding. No safety analyst has assessed the impact on vulnerable road users. The system’s decay puts riders at risk. The clock ticks. Lawmakers stall.

• CAPITOL DISPATCH: Albany Has No Plan, the Feds are Fuming and Transit Riders Are Facing a True ‘Shithole’ If MTA Cash Isn’t Raised, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-26

Mar 6 - A stolen minivan tore through Harlem. The driver ran from police. He struck Devon Hughley on a scooter. Hughley died at Harlem Hospital. The driver fled. Police used facial recognition. They arrested Enesin Delarosa. Grief lingers. Memorials remain.

According to the NY Daily News (2025-03-06), Enesin Delarosa, 26, was arrested for fatally striking Devon Hughley, 45, while fleeing an NYPD car stop in Harlem on November 2. The article reports Delarosa was driving a stolen minivan and "allegedly hit Hughley near W.155th St. and St. Nicholas Ave. while fleeing a traffic stop." Delarosa faces charges of manslaughter, leaving the scene, fleeing police, and possession of stolen property. The crash highlights the lethal risk of high-speed police pursuits and the dangers posed by stolen vehicles in dense urban areas. Memorial posters for Hughley remain in his building. The article quotes Hughley's sister, Yvette Palmer: "the arrest brought some peace."

• Scooter Rider Killed Fleeing Traffic Stop, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-06

Feb 24 - Upper Manhattan will swap sidewalk garbage bags for curbside bins. Nearly 80% of apartments join the pilot. Parking gives way to cleaner streets. Council Member Abreu backs the move. Advocates say bins clear paths for walkers. The city aims for citywide rollout.

On February 24, 2025, Council Member Shaun Abreu announced support for a pilot in Manhattan’s Community Board 9, replacing sidewalk garbage bags with curbside containers. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) will launch the program by June 1, 2025, with nearly 80% of apartments participating. The pilot, which follows earlier bin tests, repurposes parking spots for stationary bins. Abreu, co-sponsoring a bill with Council Member Crystal Hudson, called the shift 'a necessary public good' despite the loss of parking. The bill would require on-street containers for buildings with 10 or more units citywide by 2032. Advocates and DSNY officials highlight the benefit for pedestrians: 'People don’t want garbage on the sidewalk, and it makes perfect sense to put it in the roadway.' The pilot will run for a year, aiming to clear sidewalks and improve safety for those on foot.

• ‘Trash Revolution’: Curbside Containers Coming to Most Apartments in Uptown Pilot, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-02-24

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 9 - SUV veered, struck cyclist on Amsterdam. Rider thrown, scraped up. Police blame improper lane use by driver. Crash left cyclist hurt and exposed the danger on city streets.

According to the police report, a 24-year-old male bicyclist was injured when a northbound Porsche SUV struck him on Amsterdam Avenue near La Salle Street at 4 p.m. The SUV hit the cyclist with its right front quarter panel, ejecting the rider and causing abrasions to his back. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as the contributing factor, pointing to driver error. The cyclist was not wearing safety equipment, but the primary cause was the SUV driver's improper lane use. The crash damaged the SUV's front bumper and the bike's left side. The cyclist was conscious but suffered significant injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4791438 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Feb 6 - A 90-year-old woman died on York Avenue. A cab made a U-turn and struck her. Another car hit her moments later. She was rushed to the hospital. Both drivers stayed. She did not survive.

According to the New York Post (published February 6, 2025), Frances Rickard, 90, was crossing York Avenue at East 72nd Street around 5:40 p.m. when a yellow taxi, driven by a 68-year-old man, made a U-turn and struck her. Police said, “Moments later, a 35-year-old woman driving a 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer also struck her.” Rickard was taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she died. Both drivers remained at the scene and have not been charged. The sequence highlights the dangers of U-turns and multi-lane crossings for pedestrians. The intersection saw two vehicles collide with a vulnerable road user in quick succession, underscoring persistent risks in city street design and driver behavior.

• Elderly Pedestrian Killed Crossing York Avenue, New York Post, Published 2025-02-06

Feb 4 - Tesla tore north on FDR. It struck a guardrail, flipped, split, burned. The woman driver died at the scene. Her passenger flew from the wreck. Firefighters battled battery flames. Northbound lanes shut. Metal, fire, speed, and loss marked the night.

NY Daily News (2025-02-04) reports a deadly crash on Manhattan's FDR Drive. A Tesla, traveling at high speed—witnesses estimated 'at least 120, 130 [mph]'—lost control near E. 70th St. The car struck a guardrail, overturned, and caught fire. Both occupants were ejected. The driver died at the scene; her passenger survived. Firefighters and a hazmat team responded to extinguish the burning lithium-ion battery. The crash shut down northbound lanes. The article highlights excessive speed and the dangers of high-performance vehicles in urban settings. Emergency response was extensive, with 60 firefighters on scene.

• Tesla Crash Kills Woman On FDR Drive, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-04

Jan 16 - Assembly bill A 2299 targets reckless drivers. Eleven points or six camera tickets in a year triggers forced speed control tech. Lawmakers move to curb repeat speeders. Streets demand fewer deadly risks.

Assembly bill A 2299, now in sponsorship, sits with the New York State Assembly. Introduced January 16, 2025, the bill 'requires the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices if a driver accumulates eleven or more points on their driving record during a 24 month period, or receives 6 speed camera or red light camera tickets during a twelve month period.' Primary sponsor Emily Gallagher leads a bloc of co-sponsors, including Rebecca Seawright, Andrew Hevesi, and others. The measure aims to clamp down on repeat speeders with mandatory speed-limiting tech. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 2299, Open States, Published 2025-01-16

Jan 12 - A taxi struck the right rear quarter panel of a slowing SUV on W 125 St in Manhattan. The SUV driver suffered head injuries and whiplash. Police cite unsafe speed as the taxi driver’s contributing factor. Both vehicles were westbound at impact.

According to the police report, the crash occurred around 4:30 AM on W 125 St in Manhattan. A taxi traveling westbound was stopped in traffic but struck the right rear quarter panel of a westbound SUV that was slowing or stopping. The taxi driver’s unsafe speed was identified as a contributing factor to the collision. The SUV driver, a 38-year-old female, was injured with head trauma and whiplash but was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The taxi driver was licensed in New Jersey, and the SUV driver was licensed in New York. The impact point was the center back end of the taxi and the right rear quarter panel of the SUV. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved, and no victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4785797 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

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