Precinct 32: Nights of sirens, days of pain

May 28 - A bus hit a young woman in the crosswalk at Lenox and 135th. She crossed with the signal. The bus turned left. She suffered a head injury. Police list driver inattention and inexperience. The street stayed busy. The system failed her.

A 25-year-old woman was struck by a bus while crossing Lenox Avenue at West 135th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, she was crossing with the signal at the intersection when the bus, making a left turn, hit her. She suffered a head injury and was described as semiconscious at the scene. Police identified 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The driver was licensed and wore a lap belt. No other injuries were reported among the bus occupants. The report highlights driver error as the primary cause of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817143 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 27 - A sedan followed too close on Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd. The car struck a 19-year-old cyclist. The crash left the cyclist hurt. Police cite tailgating as a cause.

A 19-year-old cyclist was injured on Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd in Manhattan when a sedan, traveling south, followed too closely and struck the bike. According to the police report, 'Following Too Closely' was a contributing factor. The cyclist suffered abrasions to the arm. The sedan's right rear quarter panel was damaged. No other serious injuries were reported. The data lists 'Following Too Closely' as the primary driver error in this crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817134 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 27 - A police cruiser swerved from a taxi and slammed into two people eating outside. Sirens screamed. Metal struck flesh. Both diners and officers landed in the hospital. The street stayed open. The city kept moving. The system failed the vulnerable.

According to the New York Post (May 27, 2025), an NYPD squad car struck two people seated at an outdoor dining area on Broadway and West 112th Street. The crash happened when a taxi made a left turn, prompting the police car to swerve. The article states, “The 37-year-old cab driver was given a summons for failure to yield to oncoming traffic.” Both diners and police vehicle occupants were hospitalized in stable condition. The report notes, “It was not immediately clear if authorities were responding to a call when the incident unfolded.” The incident highlights risks at curbside dining areas and ongoing dangers from driver error and street design. The investigation continues.

• Police Car Hits Diners In Manhattan Crash, New York Post, Published 2025-05-27

May 26 - An SUV struck something hard on Harlem River Drive. The left rear quarter panel crumpled. A 54-year-old woman in the front seat took the blow. She suffered back pain and whiplash. The police listed no clear cause.

A crash occurred on Harlem River Drive involving a Jeep SUV traveling north. According to the police report, the SUV sustained damage to its left rear quarter panel. Three people were involved: a 63-year-old male driver, a 63-year-old male occupant, and a 54-year-old female front passenger. The passenger was injured, suffering back pain and whiplash. The report lists her injury severity as moderate. The police report states, 'Contributing factor: Unspecified.' No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction were cited. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the data. The crash left one person hurt, with the cause undetermined by police.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816517 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 20 - City targets 34th Street. Buses get priority. Cars must turn off. Goal: faster rides, fewer crashes. Officials cite 14th Street’s gains—speed up, crashes down. Change comes for Midtown. Riders wait for relief.

amNY reported on May 20, 2025, that New York City’s Department of Transportation proposed a dedicated busway for 34th Street between 3rd and 9th Avenues. The plan aims to boost bus speeds by 15% for tens of thousands of daily riders. Private cars and taxis could enter but must turn off at the first legal opportunity. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, 'After seeing tremendous success on 14th Street where buses have sped up, traffic has virtually disappeared, and far fewer New Yorkers are getting hurt in crashes we are excited to propose a similar design on 34th Street.' The 14th Street busway, launched in 2019, increased bus speeds by up to 24% and reduced crashes. The 34th Street plan seeks similar safety and efficiency gains, with community input shaping the final design.

• City Plans 34th Street Busway Overhaul, amny, Published 2025-05-20

May 19 - Police handcuff cyclists. Judges toss tickets. Lawmakers protest. NYPD issues criminal summonses for minor bike infractions. Riders face court for actions once legal. Anger grows. The city’s crackdown targets the vulnerable, not the dangerous.

West Side Spirit reported on May 19, 2025, that opposition is mounting against the NYPD’s new policy of issuing criminal court summonses to cyclists for minor traffic violations. Council Member Gale Brewer criticized the move, stating, "A civil summons is a more appropriate response and thrusting people into the criminal justice system unnecessarily is bad public policy." The article notes that some officers issued summonses for actions legalized in 2019, such as cyclists proceeding with a pedestrian walk signal. Many tickets were dismissed in court due to errors by police. A class action lawsuit has been filed by a cyclist ticketed for a legal maneuver. The crackdown raises questions about enforcement priorities and the risk of criminalizing vulnerable road users instead of addressing systemic dangers.

• NYPD Faces Backlash Over Bike Summonses, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-05-19

May 13 - Police ticket cyclists for obeying walk signals. Law says cyclists can cross with pedestrians. NYPD ignores it. Tickets pile up. One rider fights back in court. The city’s policy stands, unmoved by the law.

According to the New York Post (May 13, 2025), cyclist Oliver Casey Esparza filed a federal lawsuit against the NYPD, alleging officers wrongfully ticket cyclists for running red lights even when they follow pedestrian crossing signals, as permitted by a 2019 City Council law. The suit claims, 'the city maintains a policy and practice of detaining, ticketing, and prosecuting cyclists who lawfully ride through an intersection when the pedestrian control signal indicates white/walk.' Esparza received a $190 summons at Third Avenue and East 42nd Street, Manhattan, despite acting within the law. The lawsuit names current and former NYPD commissioners, accusing them of knowingly violating civil rights. The article notes a sharp rise in tickets for cyclists in early 2025. The NYPD declined to comment. The case highlights a gap between city law and police enforcement, raising questions about policy compliance and systemic accountability.

• Cyclist Sues NYPD Over Red Light Tickets, New York Post, Published 2025-05-13

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 6 - Box truck passed moped too close on Lenox. Moped driver suffered neck injury. Police cite passing too closely and following too closely. Streets stay harsh for riders.

A box truck and a moped collided on Lenox Avenue near West 135th Street in Manhattan. The moped driver, a 50-year-old woman, was partially ejected and suffered a neck injury. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Passing Too Closely' and 'Following Too Closely.' The moped driver was wearing a helmet. No injuries were reported for the truck driver. The report highlights driver errors as key factors in the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810948 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 3 - A van door swung open. The e-biker hit it, thrown into the street. A truck rolled over him. He died in the gutter, Broome and Centre. The city lost a musician. The street stayed the same.

NY Daily News reported on May 3, 2025, that George Smaragdis, known as synthwave artist Starcadian, died after being doored by a Mercedes van while riding his e-bike westbound on Broome Street in Manhattan. The impact threw him into the path of a red delivery truck, which ran him over. Police said Smaragdis suffered severe head trauma and died at Bellevue Hospital. The article notes, 'The man who died after being doored while riding an e-bike and then run over by a passing truck...was a popular and influential synthwave artist.' The crash highlights the ongoing danger of dooring and the lethal consequences when street design and driver actions fail to protect cyclists. No mention of charges or policy changes followed.

• E-Biker Doored, Killed in Soho Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-03

May 2 - A garbage truck hit a man working in the street. The truck’s driver was distracted. The pedestrian suffered a leg injury. The crash happened at W 145 St and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd.

A 56-year-old man was injured when a garbage truck struck him as he worked in the roadway at W 145 St and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd in Manhattan. According to the police report, the truck was making a right turn when the driver, distracted and inattentive, hit the pedestrian. The man suffered an abrasion and injury to his lower leg. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No other injuries were reported. The truck showed no damage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810121 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 1 - A sedan hit a woman and a child in the crosswalk on Lenox Avenue. Both were crossing with the signal. The driver failed to yield. The woman suffered a bruised leg. The child was also hurt.

A sedan making a right turn at Lenox Avenue and West 133rd Street struck two pedestrians—a 59-year-old woman and a 4-year-old girl—while they crossed with the signal. According to the police report, the driver failed to yield the right-of-way. The woman suffered a contusion to her lower leg and foot. The child was also injured. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. No vehicle damage was reported. The driver was licensed and remained at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810119 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 27 - Francisco Guzman Parra died in a burning car after a police chase in Inwood. Officers left the scene unreported. Family demands answers. Two investigations run. Streets stay dangerous. System failed to protect. The dead remain silent.

CBS New York reported on April 27, 2025, that Francisco Andres Guzman Parra, 31, died after crashing a stolen vehicle on Dyckman Street in Manhattan following an NYPD pursuit. The article states, "NYPD sources said the two officers in pursuit returned to their stationhouse without reporting the crash." The FDNY later found Guzman Parra dead in the burning car. Patrick Hendry of the Police Benevolent Association claimed officers "lost sight of the car and did not know it crashed," but the family's attorney, Jeremy Feigenbaum, said their investigation "has not corroborated the officers' claim." The officers remain on leave as both the NYPD and the New York attorney general's office investigate. The case raises questions about police pursuit protocols and reporting failures.

• NYPD Pursuit Ends In Fatal Crash, CBS New York, Published 2025-04-27

Apr 23 - A sedan turned right on Lenox. The driver was distracted. A cyclist was hit and injured. Blood on the street. The system failed to protect her.

A sedan making a right turn on Lenox Avenue struck a 45-year-old woman riding a bike. She suffered injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was listed as the contributing factor for both the sedan and the bike. The cyclist was partially ejected and left with abrasions. No helmet use was noted as a factor. The crash left the cyclist hurt while the sedan showed no damage. Systemic danger remains for those outside the car.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807737 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 22 - A cyclist flew from his bike on W 141 St. SUV and motorcycle crashed. Faces and arms bloodied. Traffic control ignored. Pain and abrasion marked the aftermath.

A crash on W 141 St at St Nicholas Ave in Manhattan involved a cyclist, a motorcycle, and an SUV. The cyclist, a 39-year-old man, was ejected and injured his face. The motorcycle driver, 44, suffered arm injuries. According to the police report, 'Traffic Control Disregarded' was a contributing factor for all involved. The SUV and motorcycle drivers were also listed as injured or affected. The cyclist's helmet use was unknown, but the main cause was failure to obey traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808381 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 22 - A moped and sedan collided on Frederick Douglass Blvd. An 11-year-old passenger was ejected and injured. Police cite failure to yield and unsafe speed. The moped driver was unlicensed.

A moped and a sedan crashed on Frederick Douglass Blvd at W 155 St in Manhattan. An 11-year-old girl riding as a passenger on the moped was ejected and suffered a leg injury. According to the police report, 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' contributed to the crash. The moped driver, a 45-year-old man, was also ejected. Police noted the moped driver was unlicensed. The report lists 'Other Vehicular' factors as well. Helmet use was recorded for the passenger. No injuries were reported for the sedan occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808218 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 18 - Two sedans crashed at W 135 St and Edgecombe Ave. Three people injured. Police cite traffic control disregarded. Metal twisted. Pain followed. System failed to protect those inside.

Two sedans collided at the intersection of W 135 St and Edgecombe Ave in Manhattan. Three occupants—two passengers and one driver—were injured, suffering arm, shoulder, and full-body pain. According to the police report, both drivers disregarded traffic control. The crash left three people hurt and others shaken. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the main contributing factor. No other causes are cited. The impact shows how ignoring basic rules puts passengers and drivers at risk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806800 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 17 - SUV and moped collided on Frederick Douglass Blvd. Moped driver ejected, suffered head injury. Police cite vehicular factors. System failed to protect the vulnerable.

A collision between an SUV and a moped occurred on Frederick Douglass Blvd in Manhattan. The moped driver, a 35-year-old man, was ejected and suffered a head injury. According to the police report, 'Other Vehicular' factors contributed to the crash. The moped driver wore a helmet. The SUV’s left rear bumper and the moped’s front end were damaged. The SUV driver was licensed; the moped driver was not. No pedestrians were involved. Systemic danger remains for those on smaller vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806799 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 13 - A KIA sedan struck debris, veered, and crashed into a parked Hyundai. Metal tore. Six people, belted and bruised, sat stunned in the dark. Shock and pain lingered on Harlem River Drive.

A KIA sedan struck debris while changing lanes on Harlem River Drive and crashed into a parked Hyundai. According to the police report, 'A KIA sedan struck debris while changing lanes, slamming into a parked Hyundai. Metal tore. A woman in the driver’s seat sat in shock. Five others, belted and bruised, stared into the dark.' Six occupants suffered unspecified injuries, including shock. The police listed 'Obstruction/Debris' as a contributing factor. No driver errors such as speeding or failure to yield were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805393 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 12 - A Nissan SUV turned left on Lenox. Its bumper hit a woman crossing with the signal. She stayed conscious. Her head took the blow. The driver failed to yield. The street stayed busy.

A Nissan SUV struck a 37-year-old woman as she crossed Lenox Avenue at West 142nd Street with the signal. According to the police report, the SUV turned left and hit her with its front bumper. The woman suffered a head injury but remained conscious. The driver, a 59-year-old man, was buckled in and unhurt. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The woman was crossing legally at the intersection when the crash occurred.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805283 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19