Blood on York Avenue: City Leaders Look Away, Drivers Keep Killing

A driver struck a cyclist in Washington Heights. The cyclist survived. Neighbors say the intersection breeds danger. The driver fled. NYPD searches. Streets remain unsafe.

CBS New York reported on August 4, 2025, that a driver hit a cyclist in Washington Heights and left the scene. The article notes, "local residents say the intersection has been a problem for some time." The NYPD is searching for the driver. The incident highlights ongoing risks at this location and points to persistent systemic hazards for cyclists and pedestrians. No mention of charges or arrests. The crash underscores the need for stronger street design and enforcement.

• Cyclist Hit By Driver In Washington Heights, CBS New York, Published 2025-08-04

A man shoved his girlfriend onto subway tracks at Fulton Street. The train crushed her legs. She survived, but lost both limbs. He fled, but police caught him. The court sentenced him to 18 years.

Gothamist (2025-07-29) reports a Brooklyn man received 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to pushing his girlfriend onto the tracks at Manhattan's Fulton Street Station on March 9, 2024. Prosecutors said Christian Valdez threw her as a train entered, causing injuries that led to both legs being amputated. District Attorney Alvin Bragg called it a 'life-threatening act of domestic violence in our transit system.' Valdez fled but was arrested hours later. The case highlights the vulnerability of transit riders and the severe consequences of violence in public spaces.

• Woman Loses Legs In Subway Attack, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-29

A teen drove drunk, wrong-way, head-on into a car. Two men died. The driver fled. The city failed to stop him. A wedding became a funeral.

According to the New York Post (2025-07-27), a 17-year-old allegedly drank at a Midtown club, then drove the wrong way on the Henry Hudson Parkway. He crashed head-on into Kirk Walker and Rob McLaurin, killing both. The teen, Jimmy Connors, fled, leaving his injured passenger. The article states, “Walker, 38, was one day from his wedding when he and McLaurin were killed.” An off-duty NYPD officer pursued Connors but did not call 911. The lawsuit names the driver, club, NYPD, and city, raising questions about underage drinking enforcement and police response. Connors faces charges including second-degree murder.

• Wrong-Way Crash Kills Groom-To-Be, New York Post, Published 2025-07-27

A cyclist struck by a sedan on 3rd Avenue suffered shoulder abrasions. Pavement was slick. Both vehicles moved straight. Police cite confusion as a factor.

A crash on 3rd Avenue at East 93rd Street in Manhattan left a 36-year-old cyclist injured with abrasions to the shoulder after a collision with a sedan. According to the police report, both the bike and the sedan were going straight when the crash occurred. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' and 'Pavement Slippery' as contributing factors. No injuries were specified for the sedan occupants. The report does not mention any driver errors beyond those listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830542 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Taxi turned left at speed. Cyclist hit. Leg bruised. Police cite failure to yield and unsafe speed. Danger at the intersection. Streets unforgiving. Cyclist ejected. Another injury on Manhattan asphalt.

A taxi making a left turn on 1st Avenue at East 93rd Street struck a northbound cyclist. The 28-year-old cyclist was ejected and suffered a contusion to his leg. According to the police report, the crash involved 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed.' The cyclist was conscious after impact. The report lists driver inattention and failure to yield as contributing factors. No injuries were reported for the taxi occupants. The collision highlights the risks faced by cyclists in Manhattan traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830543 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A box truck passed too close on the FDR Drive entrance. The sedan driver suffered a bruised abdomen. Metal scraped metal. The road did not forgive.

A crash on the FDR Drive entrance at York Avenue involved a sedan and a box truck. According to the police report, the box truck was 'Passing Too Closely.' The sedan's right side was struck. The 32-year-old woman driving the sedan was injured, sustaining a contusion to her abdomen and pelvis. The box truck driver and other occupants were not reported injured. The police report lists 'Passing Too Closely' as the key contributing factor. No other driver errors or helmet or signal issues are noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830544 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A motorcycle struck a parked SUV on East 92nd. The rider, 34, suffered crushed legs. Police cite outside distraction and inexperience. The crash left the rider partially ejected but conscious.

A 34-year-old motorcycle driver was injured after colliding with a parked SUV on East 92nd Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the rider suffered crush injuries to the lower leg and foot and was partially ejected from the motorcycle but remained conscious. Police list 'Outside Car Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The report notes the rider wore a helmet. No injuries were reported for the SUV occupants. The crash highlights the dangers posed by distraction and inexperience on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830611 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A stolen Malibu sped off the Manhattan Bridge. It struck and killed a pedestrian and a cyclist. The driver tried to flee. Eyewitnesses stopped her. Broken bodies, broken laws, broken city.

According to NY Daily News (2025-07-22), Autumn Donna Ascension Romero crashed a stolen rental car at Bowery and Canal, killing May Kwok and Kevin Cruickshank. Prosecutors say Romero admitted to drinking before driving and tried to flee the scene with her passenger. An open tequila bottle and loaded pistols were found in the car. The article quotes, 'They then tried to flee the scene followed by multiple eyewitnesses who told them to stop.' Romero faces murder and vehicular homicide charges. The crash highlights dangers from impaired driving, stolen vehicles, and failures in preventing reckless use of rentals.

• Stolen Car Kills Two In Chinatown, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-22

A sedan hit a 29-year-old man at E 86th and 2nd. The car’s right front smashed his arm. Blood pooled. The driver, 75, stayed at the scene. View was blocked. The street did not forgive.

A 29-year-old pedestrian was struck by a sedan at the intersection of E 86th Street and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the man suffered severe bleeding and a serious upper arm injury. The vehicle, a 2020 Mercedes sedan, was traveling straight when its right front quarter panel hit the pedestrian. The driver, a 75-year-old woman, was licensed and uninjured. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' and 'View Obstructed/Limited' as contributing factors. No other errors or equipment issues are noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830612 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A van reversed into a woman crossing with the signal on Park Avenue. She took a hit to her shoulder. Police cite unsafe backing and driver distraction.

A Ford Transit van struck a 54-year-old woman as she crossed Park Avenue with the signal. She suffered a shoulder injury and abrasions. According to the police report, the driver backed unsafely and was inattentive or distracted. The report lists 'Backing Unsafely' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The pedestrian was in the crosswalk, following the signal. No vehicle damage was reported. The crash highlights the danger when drivers reverse without care.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829503 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A speeding car tore through Chinatown. It struck a cyclist and a woman on a bench. Both died at the scene. The driver faces murder charges. The car was a long-overdue rental. Debris scattered. Lives ended in seconds.

Gothamist (2025-07-21) reports a driver faces murder and manslaughter charges after a deadly Chinatown crash. The car, a weeks-overdue rental, sped off the Manhattan Bridge and struck a cyclist and a pedestrian, killing both. Police found two 9mm pistols in the trunk. The article states, "the car was traveling westbound off the Manhattan Bridge at a high rate of speed" and "struck Cruickshank, Kwok and an unoccupied NYPD vehicle." The passenger faces charges for unauthorized use and weapons possession. The crash highlights risks from unreturned rentals and high-speed driving in dense city streets.

• Chinatown Crash Kills Cyclist, Pedestrian, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-21

A sedan turned left on 2nd Ave, striking a cyclist. The cyclist took the hit in the shoulder. Police cite failure to yield. The street stayed open. The cyclist wore a helmet.

A sedan struck a cyclist while making a left turn at 2nd Ave and E 64th St in Manhattan. The cyclist, a 27-year-old man, suffered a shoulder injury and a bruise. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The cyclist was wearing a helmet. The driver, a 34-year-old woman, was not reported injured. No other injuries were listed. The crash highlights the danger left turns pose to cyclists when drivers fail to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4828993 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A stolen car tore through Bowery and Canal. Two lives ended. The driver, unlicensed, had fled a crash months before. System let her walk. Steel met flesh. The city failed to stop it.

NY Daily News (2025-07-20) reports a 23-year-old unlicensed driver killed two people in Chinatown with a stolen rental car. Months earlier, she hit a pedestrian in Brooklyn and fled. Police charged her with leaving the scene and aggravated unlicensed operation, but she was released without bail, as the charges were not bail eligible under state law. The article notes, "Three months before the fatal high-speed Saturday morning smash up... the 23-year-old driver allegedly clipped a woman... and fled." The case highlights gaps in bail policy and enforcement for unlicensed, repeat offenders.

• Unlicensed Driver Kills Two In Chinatown, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-20

A car sped off the Manhattan Bridge, jumped the curb, struck a cyclist and a pedestrian. Both died. The driver and passenger tried to flee. Police caught them. Metal, speed, and chaos at Canal and Bowery.

ABC7 reported on July 19, 2025, that a Chevy Malibu jumped the curb near Canal Street and Bowery, killing a cyclist in his 30s and a pedestrian in her 60s. The two women in the car attempted to flee but were arrested. Mayor Eric Adams cited 'the rate of speed was pretty high' and called for action against reckless driving. The car also struck a parked police van. Charges are pending as police investigate. The crash highlights ongoing dangers at busy intersections and the deadly impact of speed.

• Car Jumps Curb, Kills Two in Chinatown, ABC7, Published 2025-07-19

A van crashed on 42nd and 10th. Inside: 75 gallons of gasoline, 10 of diesel, dozens of propane tanks. The driver tried to hide the keys. Hazmat teams cleared the danger. Police made an arrest.

ABC7 (2025-07-17) reports NYPD found 75 gallons of gasoline, 10 gallons of diesel, and 76 propane cylinders in a van after a Manhattan crash. The driver "tried to get rid of his keys" and claimed he couldn't open the vehicle. Hazmat teams removed the fuel. The driver faces charges for reckless endangerment and fire code violations. The Manhattan DA is handling the case. The incident highlights risks from hazardous cargo on city streets and gaps in enforcement.

• Van Crash Reveals Fuel Stockpile In Midtown, ABC7, Published 2025-07-17

Adams’s Fifth Avenue plan drops bike and bus lanes. Cyclists and walkers left exposed. Sidewalks widen, but cars keep space. Board calls for real safety, not delay.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-07-14) reports Mayor Adams cut a bus lane and bike lane from the Fifth Avenue redesign, keeping two lanes for cars and widening sidewalks. The Manhattan Community Board 5 called this move not a "real solution" to safety, urging a return to the 2021 plan with protected bike lanes and faster bus service. "We want a real solution to the bike and pedestrian safety issue," said CB 5 Vice Chair Samir Lavingia. The board warns that without bike lanes, cyclists will ride sidewalks, risking conflict. The plan, shaped with business interests, leaves vulnerable road users exposed and delays safer changes until at least 2028.

• Fifth Avenue Redesign Cuts Bike, Bus Lanes, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-14

A taxi changed lanes on East 86th. A cyclist struck the cab’s side. The cyclist’s leg was hurt. Police cite driver distraction and inexperience. Streets remain perilous for those outside steel.

A taxi and a bicycle collided at 165 E 86th Street in Manhattan. The cyclist, a 22-year-old man, suffered a leg injury. According to the police report, both driver inattention and driver inexperience contributed to the crash. The taxi was changing lanes when the impact occurred. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as factors. The cyclist’s helmet use is unknown. Streets like East 86th remain hazardous for those not protected by a vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4826965 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

SUV hit cyclist on Lexington Avenue. Rider ejected, shoulder bruised. Police cite improper lane use. Streets remain harsh for those on two wheels.

A cyclist, age 32, was struck and injured by an SUV on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the cyclist was ejected and suffered a shoulder contusion. Police list 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as the contributing factor for both the SUV and the bike. The SUV driver, a 53-year-old man, was not injured. No other injuries were reported. The report notes the cyclist's safety equipment as 'Unknown.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4826967 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan slammed into a Mack truck on E 60th. Driver inattention left a passenger hurt, shoulder bruised. Metal bent. Streets unforgiving. No room for error.

A sedan and a Mack truck collided on E 60th Street at 2nd Avenue in Manhattan. One sedan passenger suffered a shoulder injury. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was a contributing factor. The sedan's left side took the hit. The driver was licensed and wore a lap belt. The Mack truck showed no damage. The crash left one person injured, underscoring the danger when drivers lose focus.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4828708 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A taxi hit a 14-year-old cyclist on E 74th. The teen was ejected and suffered arm fractures. Police cite failure to yield. The street stayed open. The city moved on.

A taxi traveling east on E 74th Street collided with a 14-year-old girl riding a bike northbound. The cyclist was ejected and suffered a fractured arm. According to the police report, 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' was a contributing factor. The report also notes 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion.' The crash left the teen injured. No other serious injuries were reported among the taxi occupants. The impact struck the right rear quarter panel of the taxi and the front of the bike. The crash highlights the danger faced by young cyclists on Manhattan streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4826958 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04