Broadway to the Parkway: West Harlem’s Slow-Motion Crash Scene

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 - SUV hit cyclist at unsafe speed. Rider ejected, head injured. Police cite driver inattention and speed. Blood on the street. System failed to protect the vulnerable.

A station wagon/SUV struck a 22-year-old cyclist on Amsterdam Avenue at West 126th Street in Manhattan. The cyclist was ejected and suffered a head injury. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' contributed to the crash. The cyclist was not wearing safety equipment, but these factors followed the driver’s errors. The crash left the cyclist conscious but hurt. The system exposed the rider to danger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4803731 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

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

Mar 17 - A bus merging northbound struck a minivan traveling straight on Henry Hudson Parkway. The impact hit the bus’s left front quarter panel and the minivan’s right front quarter panel. A passenger suffered back injuries and whiplash in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 15:38 on Henry Hudson Parkway. A northbound bus was merging when it collided with a northbound minivan going straight ahead. The point of impact was the bus’s left front quarter panel and the minivan’s right front quarter panel. The report cites driver errors including Failure to Yield Right-of-Way, Aggressive Driving/Road Rage, and Unsafe Lane Changing. A 27-year-old male passenger in the minivan was injured, sustaining back injuries and whiplash. He was conscious and not ejected from the vehicle. The bus had four occupants, and the minivan had two. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The crash highlights dangerous merging and aggressive driving behaviors leading to serious passenger injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4799993 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

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

Mar 3 - A 20-year-old bicyclist was ejected and injured when an SUV driver distracted by inattention collided with him on Riverside Drive. The impact caused abrasions and lower leg injuries, highlighting the dangers of driver distraction in Manhattan traffic.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Riverside Drive in Manhattan at 16:16. A 20-year-old male bicyclist traveling north was struck by a northbound 2017 Ford SUV. Both vehicles were going straight ahead when the SUV's right front quarter panel collided with the bike's center front end. The bicyclist was ejected and sustained abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, classified as injury severity 3. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor for the crash, pointing to the SUV driver's failure to maintain attention. The bicyclist was unlicensed and not wearing safety equipment, but these were not cited as contributing factors by the police. This collision underscores the systemic danger posed by distracted driving in urban environments.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4796588 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

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 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 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 - A Tesla hit a guardrail on the FDR. The car flipped, burned. The driver died at the scene. Her passenger survived but was badly hurt. Debris scattered. Police closed lanes for hours. The cause is still under investigation.

According to the New York Post (2025-02-04), a Tesla crashed on Manhattan's FDR Drive near 70th Street early Tuesday. The car struck a guardrail, flipped, and caught fire. Both occupants were ejected. The article states, 'A female driver was killed and her passenger seriously injured after they were tossed from a Tesla that flipped and then burst into flames.' The driver died at the scene; the passenger was hospitalized in stable condition. Photos showed 'large pieces of the vehicle scattered across the road.' Police have not determined if speed was a factor and continue to investigate. The crash closed all northbound lanes for several miles as fire crews responded. The incident highlights the violent consequences of high-speed impacts and the dangers posed by vehicle ejection and fire.

• Tesla Crash Ejects Two On FDR Drive, New York Post, Published 2025-02-04

Feb 3 - A westbound SUV struck the rear of a parked bus on W 130 St in Manhattan. The collision caused neck injuries to a front-seat passenger. Slippery pavement contributed to the crash, highlighting hazardous road conditions and driver control failures.

According to the police report, a 2005 Dodge SUV traveling west on W 130 St collided with the center back end of a parked bus. Both vehicles were stationary before impact. The bus was also parked, with damage to its center front end. The SUV carried two occupants, including a 48-year-old female front passenger who sustained a neck injury described as whiplash and was conscious after the crash. The report cites slippery pavement as a contributing factor, indicating loss of vehicle control. No driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding are explicitly listed, but the collision with a parked vehicle suggests a failure to maintain control under adverse conditions. The passenger’s injury and the vehicle damage confirm the force of impact. The report does not attribute any contributing factors to the injured occupant.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790144 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

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