Three Dead on the Upper West Side. Who’s Next?

Jun 2 - SUV turned left on Broadway. Cyclist hit. Woman, 32, injured in the abdomen. Police cite driver inattention. Blood on the street. Bike left undamaged.

A station wagon SUV making a left turn on Broadway struck a cyclist riding straight ahead. The crash injured a 32-year-old woman on the bike, who suffered an abrasion to her abdomen and pelvis. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was listed as the contributing factor. The SUV's right front bumper took the impact. No injuries were reported for the SUV driver or occupant. The bike showed no damage. The police report does not mention helmet use or signaling.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4819085 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 31 - Two SUVs collided on West 77th. Metal slammed metal. One driver, a man, died. Three others, including another driver and two passengers, were hurt. Police cited driver inattention. The street stayed quiet after the crash. The danger was clear.

A deadly crash unfolded at 152 West 77th Street in Manhattan. Two station wagons, both SUVs, collided. According to the police report, four people were involved. One driver, a 79-year-old man, was killed. Three others, including a 62-year-old woman driver and two passengers aged 62 and 79, suffered unspecified injuries. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. Both vehicles were parked before the crash, and both sustained damage to the right side doors. The police report makes no mention of helmet use or turn signals as factors. The crash highlights the lethal risk when drivers lose focus, as documented by the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817015 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 31 - Hundreds rode through Manhattan. They called out harsh summonses for e-bike riders. Police target cyclists with criminal charges for minor traffic moves. Drivers get tickets. Riders face court. The city’s rules hit the vulnerable. The streets stay dangerous.

Gothamist (2025-05-31) reports on a protest in Lower Manhattan against the NYPD’s policy of issuing criminal summonses to e-bike riders for traffic violations like running red lights or riding against traffic. Cyclists and advocates argue the penalties are harsher than those faced by drivers for similar actions. As one protester said, “It seems unfair to me that cyclists should receive a higher penalty for doing the same thing that a person in a car would do.” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch defended the crackdown, citing the lack of licensing for e-bikes as a challenge for enforcement, but acknowledged the need for legislative reform. The article highlights inconsistent enforcement and the risks faced by vulnerable road users, especially delivery workers. Policy gaps and unequal penalties expose systemic danger on city streets.

• E-Bike Riders Protest NYPD Crackdown, Gothamist, Published 2025-05-31

May 30 - Two e-bike riders collided at Riverside Blvd and West 62nd. One cyclist suffered a shoulder injury. Both wore helmets. Police cite driver inattention and distraction. The crash left bruises and confusion on the pavement.

Two e-bike riders crashed at Riverside Blvd and West 62nd Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, one cyclist, age 22, was injured with a shoulder contusion. Both riders were male and wore helmets. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for both cyclists. One rider was unlicensed. The crash involved one e-bike making a right turn and another going straight. Police also noted 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a factor. The impact was at the center front end of both bikes. No pedestrians or other vehicles were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817014 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 30 - An e-bike struck Renee Baruch on the Upper West Side. She woke in pain, face broken, spine injured. NYPD cracks down with criminal summonses. Cyclists protest. City Council stalls. Streets stay dangerous. Justice, tangled in policy.

NY1 reported on May 30, 2025, that the NYPD is issuing criminal summonses to e-bike riders for traffic infractions, citing a lack of City Council action on new regulations. Commissioner Tisch told the Council, "Pass e-bike regulations." Cyclists object to criminal charges for minor violations, arguing for civil penalties instead. The article highlights the case of Renee Baruch, hospitalized after an e-bike crash left her with facial fractures and a spinal injury. The NYPD’s new Quality of Life Division targets reckless e-bike use, but without updated laws, criminal summonses remain their only tool. The policy gap leaves vulnerable road users exposed and enforcement inconsistent.

• NYPD Issues Criminal Summonses For E-Bikes, NY1, Published 2025-05-30

May 27 - A judge stopped federal threats to choke city funds over congestion pricing. The $9 toll stands. Streets stay crowded. The fight moves to court. Safety projects hang in the balance. The city waits. The deadline looms.

Patch reported on May 27, 2025, that District Judge Lewis Liman issued a temporary restraining order blocking the U.S. Department of Transportation from withholding federal funding as leverage against New York City's congestion pricing program. The judge's order 'bars the DOT from engaging in any retaliatory measures' and prevents cancellation of the toll, which charges drivers $9 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street. Federal officials had threatened to withhold funds for road and street safety projects if the city continued the program. The order lasts until June 9, keeping the toll in place and leaving critical infrastructure funding uncertain. The article highlights the standoff between federal authorities and city leaders, with safety and mobility projects at risk.

• Judge Halts Federal Attack On Tolls, Patch, Published 2025-05-27

May 21 - City will rip up Fifth Avenue. Sidewalks will double. Lanes for cars will shrink. Trees, benches, and light will fill the space. Pedestrians, long squeezed, will finally get room to breathe. The city bets big on feet, not fenders.

amNY reported on May 21, 2025, that New York City will begin a $400 million redesign of Fifth Avenue in 2028, stretching from Bryant Park to Central Park. Mayor Eric Adams said, 'Fifth Avenue is a bustling boulevard... with more people walking down the street every hour than fill Madison Square Garden during a sold-out Knicks game.' The plan nearly doubles sidewalk widths and expands pedestrian zones, cutting space for vehicles. The redesign adds tree buffers, benches, and stormwater upgrades. Pedestrians make up 70% of avenue traffic but have less than half the space. The overhaul shifts priority from cars to people, aiming to reduce systemic danger and reclaim the street for those on foot.

• Fifth Avenue Set For Pedestrian Overhaul, amny, Published 2025-05-21

May 15 - Taxi changing lanes hit e-scooter. Rider ejected, hurt in leg. Police cite driver inattention. No damage to vehicles. Night crash on Broadway.

An e-scooter rider was struck by a taxi at 1930 Broadway in Manhattan. The crash happened at night. The rider, a 25-year-old man, was ejected and suffered a leg injury. According to the police report, the taxi was changing lanes when the collision occurred. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. No vehicle damage was reported. The rider was conscious after the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4813675 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 14 - A father mourns his daughter, killed by an SUV on the Upper West Side. Advocates gather in Albany. They press lawmakers for action. Speeders roam. Streets stay deadly. The call is clear: fix the system, stop the pain.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-05-14) reports on Families for Safe Streets and other advocates lobbying in Albany after a 13-year-old girl was killed by an SUV. The coalition pushes for the SAFE Streets Package, including speed-limiting devices for repeat offenders and the 'Idaho stop' for cyclists. The article quotes Darnell Sealy-McCrorey: 'This epidemic is preventable. It doesn't have to be this way.' Lawmakers show mixed support. Some cite privacy fears or question the seriousness of multiple speeding violations. Jackson Chabot notes, 'A lot of people have understood the bill because of the tragic and fatal crashes recently.' The piece highlights the urgent need for policy change to address reckless driving and systemic danger on city streets.

• Grieving Families Demand Safer Streets, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-14

May 13 - Police now hand out criminal summonses to cyclists for traffic violations. Fines become court dates. Advocates warn of escalation. Lawmakers push for e-bike registration after a fatal crash. Streets grow tense. Riders and pedestrians caught in the crossfire.

West Side Spirit reported on May 13, 2025, that NYPD has begun issuing criminal summonses, not just traffic tickets, to cyclists and e-bike riders for violations like running red lights or riding on sidewalks. The change means accused riders must appear in criminal court, not just pay a fine. The move follows the death of Priscilla Loke, struck by an e-bike in 2023. Advocates like Transportation Alternatives call the new policy 'a dangerous escalation.' The NYC E-Vehicle Safety Alliance urges lawmakers to require license plates for e-bikes and scooters. The article notes, 'Under the new policy, a person issued a criminal summons must turn up in person in criminal court.' The shift highlights growing tension over enforcement and the push for stricter regulation after high-profile crashes.

• NYPD Issues Criminal Summonses To Cyclists, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-05-13

May 7 - A taxi struck an SUV on West 72nd. Three people hurt. Elderly passengers suffered fractures and bruises. Police cite driver distraction. Metal and glass, pain and confusion.

A taxi collided with a parked SUV on West 72nd Street at Columbus Avenue in Manhattan. Three people were injured: a 45-year-old male driver with shoulder pain, an 82-year-old female passenger with a fractured arm, and a 66-year-old female passenger with a bruised leg. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Outside Car Distraction.' These driver errors led to the impact. No other contributing factors were listed. The crash left metal twisted and lives disrupted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811180 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 7 - Six died when a sightseeing helicopter shattered midair over the Hudson. The fuselage, rotor, and tail tore loose. Loud bangs echoed. The craft plunged. No black box. No warning. Only fragments and silence left behind.

NY Daily News reported on May 7, 2025, that federal officials released images showing a sightseeing helicopter breaking apart in midair before crashing into the Hudson River, killing six. The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report details how the Bell 206L-4 split into three pieces: 'the fuselage, the main rotor system, and the tail boom.' Witnesses heard 'several loud 'bangs'' before the breakup. The helicopter had flown eight tours that day, all with the same pilot, who had less than 50 hours in this model. The aircraft had a prior maintenance issue with its transmission assembly and lacked flight data recorders. The NTSB noted the pilot wore video-capable sunglasses, but they remain missing. The crash highlights gaps in oversight and the risks of repeated tour flights without robust recording or inspection requirements.

• Helicopter Breaks Apart Over Hudson River, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-07

May 3 - A van door swung open. The cyclist struck it. He fell. A truck crushed him. Medics rushed him to Bellevue. He died. The street stayed busy. The drivers waited. The city moved on.

According to NY Daily News (May 3, 2025), Georgios Smaragdis, 44, was killed while riding his e-bike west on Broome Street in Soho. The article states, "he slammed into the door of a Mercedes van that its driver had just flung open," sending him into the path of a red delivery truck that ran him over. Both drivers remained at the scene. The van driver told the outlet, "I opened the door. I didn’t even see the guy." Police have not announced charges. The crash highlights the persistent danger of dooring and the lethal consequences for cyclists when drivers fail to check for oncoming traffic before opening doors. The incident underscores ongoing risks for vulnerable road users in Manhattan’s dense traffic.

• E-Bike Rider Killed After Dooring in Soho, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-03

Apr 29 - A van hit a 74-year-old woman crossing with the signal on Broadway. She suffered a leg injury. Police cite driver inattention. The street stayed busy. The danger was clear.

A Ford van traveling east on West 79th Street struck a 74-year-old woman as she crossed Broadway with the signal. According to the police report, the pedestrian was injured in the knee, lower leg, and foot, suffering a contusion. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The driver, a 27-year-old man, was licensed and uninjured. No other injuries were reported. The crash happened at a Manhattan intersection, highlighting the risk to pedestrians even when following signals.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809377 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 24 - A 74-year-old man rides east on West 70th. Illness seizes him. His bike hits a parked bus. He suffers chest trauma. He dies in the street. The helmet could not save him.

A 74-year-old cyclist traveling east on West 70th Street struck a parked bus and died from chest injuries. According to the police report, 'Illness takes him. The bus is parked. The bike strikes metal. Chest injury. The man dies there, in the afternoon light.' The only listed contributing factor is illness. The cyclist wore a helmet, as noted in the report. No driver errors or moving vehicles are cited. The bus was stationary at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807979 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 24 - An SUV door swung into a cyclist’s path on W 83rd. Metal hit flesh. The rider crashed, head struck, concussion followed. Driver inattention named. Streets stay dangerous. The city keeps count.

A cyclist riding west on W 83rd Street collided with the left side doors of a parked SUV. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The cyclist, a 30-year-old woman, suffered a head injury and concussion. The SUV driver, a 35-year-old man, was not reported injured. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the sole contributing factor. The cyclist was not using safety equipment, but this is noted only after the driver’s error. No other factors were cited.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809152 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 23 - A Ford SUV hit a 57-year-old man crossing West 86th at Broadway. The street was quiet. The man died beneath the wheels. No driver errors listed. The driver wore her belt.

A 57-year-old man was killed when a Ford SUV struck him as he crossed West 86th Street at Broadway. According to the police report, the SUV moved east and hit the man, who was crossing against the signal. The impact crushed his body. The street was quiet. The driver, a 41-year-old woman, wore her seatbelt. No driver errors or contributing factors were listed in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807749 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 13 - Taxi swung left on Amsterdam. Driver turned wrong. Pedestrian hit at intersection. Bruised leg. Police cite improper turn. Streets stay dangerous.

A taxi making a left turn on Amsterdam Avenue at West 75th Street struck a 33-year-old pedestrian at the intersection. The pedestrian suffered a contusion to the lower leg and foot. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Turning Improperly.' Both the driver and an occupant of the taxi were involved but not seriously hurt. The report highlights the driver’s improper turn as the main factor. No other contributing factors were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805806 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

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 - A man crossing Broadway with the signal was hit. He suffered bruises and shock. The crash left his whole body hurt. No driver errors listed. The street stayed dangerous.

A 50-year-old man was hit while crossing Broadway at West 77th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, he was a pedestrian at the intersection, crossing with the signal. He suffered bruises to his entire body and was in shock. No driver errors or contributing factors were listed in the report. The vehicle type was unspecified. No other injuries were reported. The crash highlights the ongoing risk to pedestrians, even when following signals.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808757 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18