Precinct 26: Crashes pile up on 125th and the Parkway

Aug 3 - A driver struck a cyclist at West 181st and Cabrini. The driver fled. The cyclist went to the hospital. The street stayed open. The danger stayed real.

CBS New York (2025-08-03) reports a bicyclist was hospitalized after a hit-and-run at West 181st Street and Cabrini Boulevard in Washington Heights. The crash happened just after noon. The driver left the scene, leaving the cyclist injured. The article states, "A bicyclist was hospitalized after being injured in a hit and run." No details on the driver or vehicle were released. The incident highlights ongoing risks for cyclists and the persistent issue of drivers fleeing crash scenes in New York City.

• Cyclist Hospitalized After Hit-And-Run Uptown, CBS New York, Published 2025-08-03

Aug 1 - Two sedans met in a merge on Henry Hudson Parkway. One driver went straight south. The other merged. Police recorded Passing Too Closely. A 68-year-old driver, a 22-year-old driver, and a 22-year-old passenger were hurt.

Two southbound sedans collided on Henry Hudson Parkway. One driver went straight. The other merged. According to the police report, 'Passing Too Closely' was a contributing factor. The straight-ahead driver’s left front bumper contacted the merging driver’s right rear quarter. Three people were hurt: a 68-year-old male driver with arm injuries, a 22-year-old male driver with shoulder injuries, and a 22-year-old female passenger with leg injuries. Police recorded driver error—Passing Too Closely. The report lists shock for two victims and notes crush injuries. No contributing factors were assigned to those injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832215 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jul 30 - A Nissan struck a 65-year-old e-biker on Second Ave. The rider fell, hit his head, and lay critical as the red light blinked. The unlicensed driver fled. Police arrested him two hours later.

West Side Spirit (2025-07-30) reports a 21-year-old unlicensed driver hit a 65-year-old e-biker on Second Ave. near 14th St., leaving the rider with serious head trauma. The driver fled, but police arrested him two hours later, charging him with "leaving the scene of an accident that caused serious injury and driving without a license." The crash shut down Second Ave. between 14th and 15th Streets. NYPD's Collision Investigation Squad continues to investigate. The article highlights the dangers posed by unlicensed drivers and the consequences of fleeing crash scenes.

• Unlicensed Driver Hits E-Biker, Flees Scene, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-07-30

Jul 29 - 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

Jul 27 - 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

Jul 24 - A firefighter died on FDR Drive. The driver fled. At Port Authority, a bus crash left over two dozen hurt. No arrests. The city’s streets remain brutal for those on foot and in transit.

Patch reported on July 24, 2025, that an FDNY firefighter was killed in a hit-and-run on FDR Drive. The driver left the scene. No arrests have been made. The article also notes, 'More Than 2 Dozen Injured In Bus Crash At Port Authority Bus Terminal.' Both incidents highlight ongoing dangers for vulnerable road users and point to gaps in enforcement and street safety. Investigations continue, but the city’s traffic violence persists.

• Firefighter Killed, Dozens Hurt In Crashes, Patch, Published 2025-07-24

Jul 22 - 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

Jul 21 - 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

Jul 17 - 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

Jul 14 - 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

Jul 9 - A sedan hit an e-bike on Marginal Street. The cyclist, ejected and bruised, suffered leg injuries. Police cite failure to yield. The crash left the rider conscious but hurt.

An e-bike rider, age 31, was injured when a sedan struck him on Marginal Street near West 125th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the crash involved both vehicles making left turns. The cyclist was ejected and suffered a contusion to his lower leg and foot but remained conscious. Police list 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The report notes the cyclist wore a helmet. No injuries were reported for the sedan driver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4827567 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jul 6 - A fast electric unicycle struck a cyclist on Central Park’s crowded West Drive. The unicycle rider landed in the hospital. The cyclist, bruised, faced wrongful charges. Chaos thrives where speed meets congestion.

West Side Spirit (2025-07-06) reports a crash on Central Park’s West Drive, near West 60th Street. An illegal electric unicycle hit a cyclist, sending its operator to the hospital in critical but stable condition. The cyclist, Carolyn Backus, was wrongly charged with leaving the scene, though she "remained on scene for about 45 minutes after the crash and waited for paramedics." The Manhattan D.A. dismissed the charge, noting Backus rode a non-motorized bike. The article highlights the risk of high-speed e-vehicles in crowded park zones, where "unpredictable congestion makes it the last place...anyone should be speeding."

• Electric Unicycle Slams Cyclist In Park, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-07-06

Jun 30 - SUV turned left on Broadway. E-bike rider hit, shoulder injured. Police cite traffic control disregarded. System failed to protect the cyclist.

A Ford SUV making a left turn on Broadway collided with a southbound e-bike. The 22-year-old cyclist was injured, suffering a shoulder abrasion. According to the police report, 'Traffic Control Disregarded' was listed as a contributing factor. The SUV driver and occupants were not reported injured. The crash highlights the danger when drivers ignore traffic controls. The cyclist was partially ejected and not wearing safety equipment, but the primary cause was the driver's failure to obey traffic rules.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4824166 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jun 28 - A taxi struck a garbage truck’s rear on Amsterdam Ave. Two passengers suffered face and neck injuries. Police cite driver distraction. Metal, glass, pain. The city keeps moving.

A taxi crashed into the back of a parked garbage truck on Amsterdam Avenue at West 121st Street. Two taxi passengers, a 58-year-old woman and a 23-year-old woman, were injured—one with neck abrasions, the other with facial bleeding. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The report lists no other contributing factors. The impact left the taxi’s front end and the truck’s rear damaged. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The city’s streets remain dangerous for those inside and outside vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4823921 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jun 27 - A 53-year-old cyclist struck on Riverside Drive. He suffered arm abrasions. The crash left him conscious but hurt. Police list the cause as unspecified. No other injuries reported.

A 53-year-old man riding a bike north on Riverside Drive at West 111th Street was injured in a crash. According to the police report, the cyclist suffered abrasions to his arm and remained conscious after the impact. The report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' No other vehicles or persons were reported injured. The crash damaged the left side of the cyclist's bike. No driver errors were specified in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4823732 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jun 26 - A cyclist slammed into a parked SUV on Riverside Drive. Driver inattention left the rider bleeding, ejected, face torn. The street stayed dark. Metal and flesh met. The city kept moving.

A cyclist, age 24, was ejected and suffered severe facial bleeding after colliding with a parked SUV on Riverside Drive at West 130th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was listed as a contributing factor. The cyclist was conscious but badly hurt. No injuries were reported for the SUV occupants. The crash involved a bike and a station wagon/SUV. The report did not list helmet use or signaling as factors. The impact was brutal. The system failed to protect the vulnerable.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4823718 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jun 26 - A sedan struck three pedestrians crossing with the signal on Broadway. All suffered injuries. Police cite driver inattention as the cause.

Three pedestrians, ages 31, 46, and 48, were hit by a sedan while crossing Broadway at W 125th Street in Manhattan. All were crossing with the signal and suffered injuries, including leg and body trauma. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was the contributing factor. The sedan, a BMW, was traveling east with two occupants. No other causes were listed in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4823471 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jun 22 - A sedan hit a cyclist on Amsterdam Avenue. The crash left the cyclist bruised and hurt. Aggressive driving and a bad turn caused the impact. The street stayed dangerous. No one walked away unchanged.

A sedan collided with a cyclist on Amsterdam Avenue near West 122nd Street in Manhattan. The 33-year-old cyclist suffered a contusion and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. According to the police report, 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' and 'Turning Improperly' were listed as contributing factors. The sedan struck the back of the bike with its right front bumper. The data shows no helmet or signal issues for the cyclist. The crash highlights the risk faced by cyclists when drivers act aggressively and fail to turn safely.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4822547 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jun 19 - An e-bike rider struck a pedestrian in a Central Park crosswalk. The rider flew from the bike, hit the curb, and died. The pedestrian suffered a minor hand injury. Police are investigating. No arrests. The park remains dangerous for all.

West Side Spirit reported on June 19, 2025, that Salvador Nico-Garcia, 43, died after colliding with a pedestrian in a Central Park crosswalk near East 97th Street and East Drive. The article states, "Nico-Garcia was then flung from his bike and struck his head on the curb, the NYPD said." The pedestrian, 41, had a minor hand injury and refused treatment. The NYPD Collision Investigation Squad is reviewing the incident; no arrests have been made. City data shows e-bike and e-scooter deaths have dropped citywide in 2025, but Central Park crash numbers remain steady. The report notes, "more people crash on regular bikes in the park than on e-bikes or e-scooters, while the opposite is true for NYC overall." The crash highlights ongoing risks at crossings and the persistent threat to vulnerable road users.

• E-Biker Killed After Central Park Crash, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-06-19

Jun 17 - A woman tried to climb from the tracks. The L train struck her. She died at the scene. The platform offered no barrier. Safety reforms came too late. The train ran again after three hours. Her name is not yet known.

West Side Spirit reported on June 17, 2025, that a 24-year-old woman was killed by an L train at Union Square station. According to the article, 'witnesses said the woman stepped onto the tracks shortly before the collision, but then attempted to climb back onto the platform.' She could not escape in time. Police found no suspected criminality. The incident occurred months after a state initiative promised new platform barriers at over 100 stations, but these had not yet been installed at Union Square. The tragedy highlights the ongoing risk to subway riders in stations without protective infrastructure. The investigation continues.

• Woman Killed by L Train at Union Square, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-06-17