No One Is Safe Until the Streets Are Safe

Mar 4 - A drunk, speeding firefighter ran a red light in Queens. He slammed into Justin Diaz’s car. Diaz died. He was 23. His family buried him with his new degree. The firefighter faces charges. The street remains unchanged.

According to the NY Daily News (2025-03-04), Justin Diaz, 23, was killed when an off-duty FDNY firefighter, Michael Pena, sped through a red light at 83 mph in a 25 mph zone and struck Diaz’s BMW at 107th St. and Northern Blvd. Diaz was heading to work at LaGuardia Airport. Prosecutors say Pena was drunk, high on cocaine and marijuana, and refused a breath test. His blood-alcohol content was 0.156 percent. Surveillance footage confirmed Diaz had the right-of-way. The article notes, 'The victim had the right-of-way, and Pena ran a steady red light, prosecutors say.' Pena was charged with vehicular manslaughter and DWI. His license was suspended. The case highlights ongoing dangers for New York City road users and questions about bail and accountability for reckless drivers.

• Firefighter Runs Red, Kills Airport Worker, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-04

Feb 27 - A firefighter ran a red. Metal struck metal. A young man died. The street echoed with sirens. Two more rode to the hospital. The city keeps count. The danger stays.

According to the New York Post (February 27, 2025), off-duty FDNY firefighter Michael Pena drove through a red light at Northern Boulevard and 107th Street in Queens, striking Justin Diaz’s car. Surveillance video captured Pena’s Mercedes “passing a red light on Northern Boulevard and T-boning Diaz’s 2022 BMW.” Diaz, 23, died at Elmhurst Hospital. Pena faces charges of vehicular manslaughter, DWI, and refusal to take a breath test. Two passengers in Pena’s car were hospitalized. The FDNY suspended Pena for 28 days without pay. The crash highlights the lethal consequences of red-light running and impaired driving, raising questions about enforcement and accountability on city streets.

• Red Light Crash Kills Driver in Queens, New York Post, Published 2025-02-27

Feb 19 - A pickup truck slammed into parked cars on Central Ave. The driver was found unconscious and injured. Police cited alcohol involvement. Metal twisted. Streets scarred. System failed.

According to the police report, a pickup truck traveling southwest crashed into multiple parked vehicles near 1306 Central Ave in Queens at 12:20 a.m. The driver, a 35-year-old man, was found unconscious and injured. The report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor. Several sedans and SUVs were struck, with damage to bumpers and side panels. The driver wore a lap belt and harness. No other contributing factors or victim actions were cited. The crash highlights the danger of impaired driving and the risk it poses to everyone on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793650 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Feb 14 - A minivan left the road in Queens. It hit a tree. One woman died. Three others, all seniors, went to the hospital. The crash happened on Brookville Boulevard, near Sunrise Highway. Police are investigating. The road stayed quiet after.

According to the NY Daily News (published February 14, 2025), a minivan from Eunhae Adult Daycare crashed while leaving a senior residence in Queens. The 74-year-old driver 'lost control of the wheel at the Sunrise Highway.' The vehicle veered off Brookville Blvd and struck a tree. Four people were inside, all seniors. One woman in her 70s died after being found unconscious in the back seat. Three others, including the driver, were hospitalized but expected to survive. Police are investigating the cause. The article highlights the dangers faced by passengers in vehicles operated by older drivers and the risks at busy intersections like Brookville Boulevard and Sunrise Highway.

• Minivan Crash Kills Woman, Injures Three, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-14

Feb 13 - Two sedans collided head-on on Seagirt Blvd at night. Both women drivers suffered neck and chest injuries. Shock and pain followed. Each wore seat belts. The crash left both cars with front-end damage.

According to the police report, two sedans crashed at 20:05 on Seagirt Blvd. A 22-year-old woman turned left as a 72-year-old woman drove straight north. Both drivers were injured—one with neck pain, the other with chest pain. Both experienced shock and nausea. Each was restrained by lap belt and harness. The report lists unspecified contributing factors for both drivers. No pedestrians were involved. The crash shows the danger when left turns cross paths with oncoming traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792448 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Feb 8 - A car struck an underpass on Belt Parkway. Metal twisted. A woman, 27, died at the hospital. A man survived. Police do not know who drove. The wreck left questions. The system failed to protect its passengers.

According to NY Daily News (published February 8, 2025), a single-car crash on Queens’ Belt Parkway killed a 27-year-old woman and injured a 30-year-old man. The white Toyota sedan hit an underpass near 225th Street around 3:50 a.m. Both occupants were found outside the wreck when police arrived. Investigators are unsure who was driving at the time of impact: 'Since both occupants were out of the car at the time of the crash, investigators haven't figured out who was driving, police said.' The woman died at Long Island Jewish Hospital-Valley Stream; the man was expected to survive. The article highlights ongoing uncertainty about driver identity and underscores the persistent risks on city highways, especially where loss of vehicle control leads to deadly outcomes. The investigation continues.

• Woman Killed In Queens Parkway Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-08

Feb 7 - A 60-year-old woman crossing with the signal was struck at a Queens intersection. The driver failed to yield right-of-way, causing abrasions and injuries to her entire body. The pedestrian remained conscious despite the severity of the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 17:45 near 58-03 Rockaway Beach Blvd in Queens. A 60-year-old female pedestrian was crossing the intersection with the signal when she was struck by a vehicle. The report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor attributed to the driver. The pedestrian suffered abrasions and injuries to her entire body, classified as injury severity level 3, but remained conscious. The vehicle involved is unspecified in type and details, and no information about the driver’s license status or vehicle damage is provided. The report does not list any pedestrian behaviors as contributing factors, focusing solely on the driver's failure to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792183 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Feb 5 - A man slammed his Mercedes into a stopped car on the Whitestone Expressway. The impact threw an MTA worker onto the pavement. The driver ran. The worker died. Police found the abandoned car. The driver had no license.

NY Daily News reported on February 5, 2025, that James Vennitti, 63, was arrested for a deadly hit-and-run on the Whitestone Expressway in Queens. On February 10, 2024, Vennitti allegedly rear-ended David Berney, 43, after Berney and another driver stopped in the middle lane following a minor collision. The crash threw Berney from his car, killing him at the scene. The other driver was injured. Vennitti, unlicensed, abandoned his Mercedes and fled on foot. Police arrested him a year later. A grand jury indicted Vennitti for leaving the scene of a fatal crash and driving without a license. The case highlights the lethal risk of unlicensed driving and the dangers of stopped vehicles on high-speed roads.

• Unlicensed Driver Flees Queens Fatal Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-05

Feb 4 - SUV driver, distracted and speeding, struck a 7-year-old boy crossing Beach 29 Street. The child suffered abrasions. No damage to the vehicle. Another pedestrian hurt by driver inattention.

According to the police report, a 7-year-old boy was injured while crossing at a marked crosswalk at Beach 29 Street in Queens at 14:20. The child suffered abrasions to his elbow, lower arm, and hand but remained conscious. The involved vehicle, a Nissan SUV, was making a right turn and showed no damage. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The pedestrian was crossing without a signal but within a marked crosswalk. The crash highlights the risk to vulnerable road users when drivers fail to pay attention and control their speed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790632 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Feb 4 - A sedan making a left turn struck a 69-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She suffered shoulder and upper arm injuries. The driver failed to yield. The crash happened on New Haven Avenue near Beach 19 Street.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling east on New Haven Avenue near Beach 19 Street in Queens struck a 69-year-old woman at 7:50 AM. The woman was crossing the intersection with the signal when the sedan, making a left turn, hit her. She sustained injuries to her shoulder and upper arm but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The driver was licensed and the vehicle showed no damage. The pedestrian’s lawful crossing is noted but not cited as a cause. This crash underscores the danger when drivers fail to yield to people in the crosswalk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790366 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jan 22 - A Toyota RAV4 jumped the curb on 90th Avenue, slammed into a garage, and collapsed the structure. The driver, Mamadou Barry, was trapped. First responders pulled him out, but he died at the hospital. No other injuries reported.

According to NY Daily News (2025-01-22), Mamadou Barry, 63, was driving his Toyota RAV4 along 90th Ave. in Jamaica, Queens, around 5:20 a.m. when he lost control, hopped a curb at 143rd St., and crashed into a detached garage. The impact caused the garage to collapse onto both his SUV and a parked, unoccupied Prius. Police said Barry was trapped and later died at Jamaica Hospital. The article notes, 'he lost control of the SUV, which went crashing into a detached garage in Queens, police said.' Family members stated Barry had no known medical issues. The cause of the crash remains unclear. No other injuries were reported. The incident highlights the dangers faced by drivers and bystanders in residential areas where structures sit close to the street.

• Uber Driver Dies in Queens Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-01-22

Jan 17 - A distracted SUV driver hit a 51-year-old woman crossing a marked crosswalk without a signal. She suffered abdominal and pelvic injuries, conscious but bruised. The crash exposed driver inattention as a deadly hazard on Queens streets.

According to the police report, at 8:05 PM in Queens near 20-29 Seagirt Blvd, a Station Wagon/SUV driven by an inattentive driver struck a 51-year-old female pedestrian. The pedestrian was crossing in a marked crosswalk but without a crossing signal. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The pedestrian sustained injuries to her abdomen and pelvis, classified as injury severity 3, and was conscious with contusions and bruises. The vehicle involved was a 2010 Audi SUV with no occupants other than the driver. This crash highlights the critical role of driver distraction in pedestrian injuries, with no contributing factors attributed to the pedestrian's actions beyond crossing without a signal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787184 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 31 - Two sedans collided on Beach 47 St in Queens at 7:05 AM. An 87-year-old male driver was injured and shocked. The crash involved a westbound sedan going straight and an eastbound sedan making a left turn. Both vehicles sustained right-side damage.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 7:05 AM on Beach 47 St near Rockaway Fwy in Queens. A westbound 2006 Honda sedan was traveling straight ahead when it collided with an eastbound 2013 Honda sedan making a left turn. The point of impact was the right front bumper of the westbound vehicle and the right rear bumper of the eastbound vehicle. The 87-year-old male driver of the eastbound sedan was injured and experienced shock but was not ejected. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The report lists unspecified contributing factors for the injured driver but does not specify driver errors such as failure to yield. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved, and no victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4782920 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 30 - A 71-year-old woman, turning east on Rockaway Freeway, crashed her Mazda. Distraction behind the wheel. The right front struck hard. Her leg split open. Blood ran. The airbag burst. She stayed awake in the sudden quiet.

According to the police report, a 71-year-old woman was driving a 2023 Mazda sedan eastbound on Rockaway Freeway near Beach 41st Street in Queens when she crashed while making a right turn. The report states the vehicle struck hard at the right front bumper, causing severe bleeding and a significant leg injury to the driver. The airbag deployed. The driver remained conscious at the scene. Police explicitly cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor leading to the crash. No other vehicles or persons were involved, and no victim behaviors are listed as contributing factors. The report underscores the consequences of driver distraction, which resulted in serious injury and a violent impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4782665 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 20 - A southbound SUV struck the left rear bumper of a stopped sedan on Beach Channel Drive. An 8-year-old girl in the sedan’s right rear seat suffered head injuries and whiplash. Alcohol involvement was cited as a contributing factor in the crash.

According to the police report, at 14:17 on Beach Channel Drive in Queens, a station wagon/SUV traveling south collided with the left rear bumper of a stopped sedan. The SUV driver, licensed in Illinois, was going straight ahead when the impact occurred. The sedan, carrying five occupants, was stopped in traffic. The collision caused injuries to an 8-year-old female occupant seated in the right rear passenger position of the sedan. She sustained head injuries and whiplash but was not ejected and was conscious at the scene. The report identifies alcohol involvement as a contributing factor, indicating driver impairment played a role. No other driver errors or victim behaviors were cited. The crash highlights the systemic danger posed by impaired driving on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4780386 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Nov 29 - Two sedans collided at unsafe speed in Queens. A 17-year-old front passenger suffered bruises and arm injuries. Impact struck both cars’ front ends. Driver’s speed triggered the crash. Streets turned violent in a blink.

According to the police report, two sedans collided near 29-03 Falcon Ave in Queens at 13:12. The crash left a 17-year-old male front passenger injured, with contusions and trauma to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. The report lists "Unsafe Speed" as the contributing factor, pointing to driver error in controlling the vehicle. Both vehicles sustained center front-end damage. One sedan was parked, the other moved straight ahead before impact. No other contributing factors or victim actions were noted. The injured passenger was conscious and not ejected. This crash shows the harm caused when drivers ignore speed limits on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774932 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Nov 15 - A northbound driver hit a 35-year-old man crossing Beach Channel Drive. The man suffered a head bruise. Police cite driver distraction. The pedestrian was conscious. No vehicle damage reported.

According to the police report, a 35-year-old pedestrian was struck by a northbound vehicle while crossing Beach Channel Drive in Queens at 21:05. The man was not at an intersection or crosswalk. He suffered a head contusion but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No other driver errors or victim actions are cited as causes. The vehicle hit the pedestrian at the center front end and showed no damage. This crash underscores the risk posed by distracted drivers to people crossing city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4772464 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Nov 7 - A sedan traveling south struck a northbound e-scooter on Beach 22 Street. The e-scooter driver, a 61-year-old woman, suffered knee and lower leg injuries. Police cited driver inattention as the primary cause. The victim was conscious and not ejected.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 18:25 on Beach 22 Street involving a southbound sedan and a northbound e-scooter. The e-scooter driver, a 61-year-old female, was injured with contusions and bruises to her knee, lower leg, and foot. She remained conscious and was not ejected from the vehicle. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the collision, indicating the sedan driver failed to maintain attention. The e-scooter was impacted at its center front end, sustaining damage there. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted. The focus remains on the sedan driver's distraction as the cause of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769734 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Nov 7 - A moped and sedan collided on Rockaway Freeway in Queens. The moped driver, a 24-year-old woman, was partially ejected and suffered knee and lower leg injuries. Police cited traffic control disregard as a key factor in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 16:20 on Rockaway Freeway near Seagirt Boulevard in Queens. A 24-year-old female moped driver was partially ejected during the collision with a sedan traveling north. The moped driver sustained contusions and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot. The report identifies 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the primary contributing factor, indicating a failure by one or both drivers to obey traffic signals or signs. The moped driver was not wearing any safety equipment at the time. The sedan, carrying three occupants, struck the moped's center front end with its right front bumper, causing damage to both vehicles. The report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors, focusing instead on driver error related to traffic control.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769551 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Nov 1 - SUV struck a 33-year-old woman crossing Beach 35 Street. She suffered facial abrasions. The driver kept going straight. No vehicle damage. Police list unspecified factors. No driver errors cited.

According to the police report, a 33-year-old woman was crossing Beach 35 Street in Queens when a westbound Jeep SUV hit her with its front end. The crash happened at 2:25 AM. The woman suffered abrasions to her face and was conscious after impact. The SUV showed no damage. Police list unspecified contributing factors but do not cite any driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The pedestrian was not in a crosswalk or at a signal, but the report does not list this as a contributing factor. The driver was licensed and traveling straight before the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768271 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18