Five Dead, Hundreds Hurt—Still Waiting for Action

Mar 9 - A taxi collided with the rear of a tractor truck on E 8 St in Manhattan. The taxi driver, a 66-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg injuries. Police cited defective brakes and other vehicular factors as causes of the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 21:31 on E 8 St near University Pl in Manhattan. A taxi traveling east struck the center back end of a tractor truck also moving east. The taxi driver, a 66-year-old man, was injured with contusions and trauma to his knee, lower leg, and foot, and was reported in shock. The report lists 'Brakes Defective' and 'Other Vehicular' as contributing factors, indicating mechanical failure on the taxi. Both drivers were licensed and traveling straight ahead. The taxi sustained damage to its center front end, while the truck was damaged at its center back end. The report does not attribute fault to the victim or note any pedestrian involvement.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797664 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 7 - A taxi struck a baby boy crossing East 11th Street. The front end crumpled. Blood pooled from his head. He lay semiconscious on the pavement as dusk fell and the city watched, silent and still.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling west on East 11th Street near Third Avenue struck a baby boy who was crossing outside the crosswalk. The report describes the vehicle's center front end as the point of impact, with damage matching the collision. The child suffered a head injury, severe bleeding, and was found semiconscious on the pavement. The narrative notes, 'His head bled. He lay on the pavement, semiconscious, as the light dimmed and the street watched in silence.' The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are explicitly cited in the report, but the collision occurred as the taxi proceeded straight ahead and the pedestrian was not at an intersection. The focus remains on the impact and the systemic danger faced by vulnerable pedestrians in city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797705 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 6 - A stolen minivan tore through Harlem. The driver ran from police. He struck Devon Hughley on a scooter. Hughley died at Harlem Hospital. The driver fled. Police used facial recognition. They arrested Enesin Delarosa. Grief lingers. Memorials remain.

According to the NY Daily News (2025-03-06), Enesin Delarosa, 26, was arrested for fatally striking Devon Hughley, 45, while fleeing an NYPD car stop in Harlem on November 2. The article reports Delarosa was driving a stolen minivan and "allegedly hit Hughley near W.155th St. and St. Nicholas Ave. while fleeing a traffic stop." Delarosa faces charges of manslaughter, leaving the scene, fleeing police, and possession of stolen property. The crash highlights the lethal risk of high-speed police pursuits and the dangers posed by stolen vehicles in dense urban areas. Memorial posters for Hughley remain in his building. The article quotes Hughley's sister, Yvette Palmer: "the arrest brought some peace."

• Scooter Rider Killed Fleeing Traffic Stop, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-06

Feb 26 - A sedan struck the left rear bumper of a stopped bus on Hudson Street in Manhattan. The bus driver was stopped in traffic when the sedan, traveling south, collided with it. A passenger in the sedan suffered a head injury and was conscious at the scene.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Hudson Street near 8th Avenue in Manhattan at 5:28 PM. The bus was stopped in traffic traveling north when a sedan traveling south struck its left rear bumper. The contributing factor cited was driver inattention or distraction on the part of the sedan driver. The sedan's front center end impacted the bus's left rear bumper. The sedan carried two occupants; one passenger, a 40-year-old male, sustained a head injury described as a contusion or bruise and was conscious at the scene. The passenger was not ejected and was not using any safety equipment. The bus had one occupant, the driver, who was licensed and operating the vehicle properly. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4795237 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 22 - Fire truck struck a 29-year-old man on East 14th. The impact gashed his neck. He stayed conscious. The truck hit him with its right side doors. The street was not an intersection. The city failed to protect him.

According to the police report, a fire truck traveling east on East 14th Street in Manhattan struck a 29-year-old male pedestrian at 13:34. The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was engaged in 'Other Actions in Roadway.' He suffered neck abrasions and remained conscious. The point of impact was the truck's right side doors. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as contributing factors. No driver errors are explicitly listed in the data. No helmet or crossing signal factors are noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4794209 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 10 - A 31-year-old female bicyclist was ejected and suffered a contusion to her elbow and lower arm after a crash on Bleecker Street in Manhattan. The impact struck the center front end of her bike. Confusion or error by the bicyclist contributed to the crash.

According to the police report, a female bicyclist, age 31, was injured and ejected while traveling southeast on Bleecker Street at 7:20 AM. The crash involved a collision impacting the center front end of her bike, causing contusions and bruises to her elbow and lower arm. The report identifies 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor, indicating the bicyclist's actions played a role in the incident. No other vehicles were involved, and no driver errors by other parties were cited. The bicyclist was the sole occupant and driver of the bike. The report does not specify helmet use or other victim behaviors as contributing factors. The crash highlights risks faced by vulnerable road users when confusion or error occurs during travel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4791752 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 6 - A 90-year-old woman died on York Avenue. A cab made a U-turn and struck her. Another car hit her moments later. She was rushed to the hospital. Both drivers stayed. She did not survive.

According to the New York Post (published February 6, 2025), Frances Rickard, 90, was crossing York Avenue at East 72nd Street around 5:40 p.m. when a yellow taxi, driven by a 68-year-old man, made a U-turn and struck her. Police said, “Moments later, a 35-year-old woman driving a 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer also struck her.” Rickard was taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she died. Both drivers remained at the scene and have not been charged. The sequence highlights the dangers of U-turns and multi-lane crossings for pedestrians. The intersection saw two vehicles collide with a vulnerable road user in quick succession, underscoring persistent risks in city street design and driver behavior.

• Elderly Pedestrian Killed Crossing York Avenue, New York Post, Published 2025-02-06

Feb 5 - A 63-year-old man suffered a head injury after an SUV failed to yield while making a left turn on Hudson Street. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the vehicle struck him with its right front bumper, causing shock and serious injury.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 20:40 on Hudson Street in Manhattan. A 63-year-old male pedestrian was crossing at an intersection with the signal when a 2023 SUV, traveling northwest and making a left turn, struck him with the right front bumper. The pedestrian sustained a head injury and was in shock. The report cites the vehicle driver's failure to yield right-of-way and unsafe speed as contributing factors. The SUV showed no damage, and the driver was licensed in New York. The pedestrian's crossing with the signal is noted but not listed as a contributing factor. The collision highlights driver errors in yielding and speed control as central causes of the injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790839 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 4 - A Tesla hit a guardrail on the FDR. The car flipped, burned. The driver died at the scene. Her passenger survived but was badly hurt. Debris scattered. Police closed lanes for hours. The cause is still under investigation.

According to the New York Post (2025-02-04), a Tesla crashed on Manhattan's FDR Drive near 70th Street early Tuesday. The car struck a guardrail, flipped, and caught fire. Both occupants were ejected. The article states, 'A female driver was killed and her passenger seriously injured after they were tossed from a Tesla that flipped and then burst into flames.' The driver died at the scene; the passenger was hospitalized in stable condition. Photos showed 'large pieces of the vehicle scattered across the road.' Police have not determined if speed was a factor and continue to investigate. The crash closed all northbound lanes for several miles as fire crews responded. The incident highlights the violent consequences of high-speed impacts and the dangers posed by vehicle ejection and fire.

• Tesla Crash Ejects Two On FDR Drive, New York Post, Published 2025-02-04

Feb 3 - A van struck a bicyclist making a left turn on Greenwich Avenue in Manhattan. The cyclist was ejected and suffered abrasions to her elbow and lower arm. Police cited the van driver’s following too closely and inattention as causes of the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 3:53 PM on Greenwich Avenue in Manhattan. A van traveling southeast struck a bicyclist who was making a left turn in the same direction. The point of impact was the van’s right side doors and the bike’s center front end. The bicyclist, a 46-year-old woman, was ejected from her bike and sustained abrasions to her elbow and lower arm. The report lists the van driver’s contributing factors as "Following Too Closely" and "Driver Inattention/Distraction." The bicyclist’s actions or equipment were not cited as contributing factors. The van driver was licensed in New York and driving a 2022 vehicle. This collision highlights the dangers posed by driver errors such as tailgating and distraction in interactions with vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790832 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 4 - A distracted SUV driver collided with a parked sedan on Washington Place in Manhattan. The driver suffered knee and lower leg injuries, enduring shock and bruising. Police cite driver inattention and aggressive driving as key factors in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 4:00 AM on Washington Place near Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan. The driver of a station wagon/SUV, traveling southeast, struck a parked sedan, impacting the right front quarter panel of the SUV and the left rear bumper of the sedan. The driver, a 65-year-old male occupant, was injured with contusions and injuries to the knee, lower leg, and foot, and experienced shock. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as contributing factors to the collision. The driver was restrained with a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The crash involved no pedestrians or cyclists. The evidence highlights driver error as the primary cause of the incident.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4783718 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 26 - A taxi veered off Sixth Avenue, mounted the curb, and struck a crowd near Herald Square. Three pedestrians, including a child, landed in the hospital. The driver stayed at the scene. Metal, flesh, and concrete met in Midtown’s holiday rush.

Gothamist (2024-12-26) reports a Midtown crash where a taxi driver, experiencing a medical episode, drove onto the sidewalk at Sixth Avenue and West 34th Street, injuring a 9-year-old boy and two women. Police said, 'they did not suspect any criminality in the crash.' The driver, 58, remained at the scene and was taken for evaluation. Four others declined medical attention. The article notes, 'the driver was driving northbound on Sixth Avenue around 3 p.m. on Wednesday when he jumped the curb and plowed into a crowd.' The incident highlights the persistent risk posed by vehicles in crowded pedestrian zones, regardless of intent or driver health. No policy changes were announced.

• Taxi Jumps Curb, Hits Midtown Pedestrians, Gothamist, Published 2024-12-26

Dec 23 - A police car crossed the line. Metal struck flesh. Samuel Williams, riding his dirt bike, was thrown and killed. Body cam footage shows the officer’s move. Another NYPD car tried the same. The city sent Williams’ family a bill.

NY Daily News (2024-12-23) reports that NYPD body camera footage shows an officer veering into the path of Samuel Williams, a 36-year-old dirt bike rider, during a pursuit on the University Heights Bridge. Williams was struck, thrown, and died from his injuries. The article states, “An officer pursuing dirt bikers suddenly crossed the double yellow line into Williams' path, causing a collision.” Another NYPD vehicle attempted a similar maneuver. The family’s attorney called it a “deadly maneuver” for a minor violation. The city later billed Williams’ family for police vehicle damages. The NYPD has not commented, citing litigation. The case raises questions about police pursuit tactics and accountability.

• NYPD Officer Veers Into Dirt Biker’s Path, NY Daily News, Published 2024-12-23

Dec 18 - A Ford sedan fleeing police tore through LaGuardia Place and struck a westbound cyclist. The man flew from his bike, blood pooling as he lay broken and incoherent. Sirens wailed. The car’s front end crumpled against the city’s cold pavement.

According to the police report, a Ford sedan, pursued by police, disregarded traffic control and struck a 44-year-old man riding a bicycle westbound on LaGuardia Place near West 3rd Street. The cyclist was ejected from his bike, suffering severe bleeding and injuries to his entire body. The report describes the victim as incoherent at the scene. The sedan's front end sustained significant damage. The police report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors, underscoring driver error and systemic danger. No contributing factors are attributed to the cyclist. The crash unfolded in Manhattan's 10012 zip code, with the impact and aftermath described in stark, physical terms by responding officers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4780933 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 17 - SUV crashed into rear of another SUV on West Street. Driver in front suffered facial bruises. Police cite following too closely. Metal twisted. Night air split by impact.

According to the police report, two SUVs collided at 1:05 AM on West Street near Christopher Street in Manhattan. The Jeep SUV was stopped in traffic when the Oldsmobile SUV, traveling north, struck its right rear bumper. The report lists "Following Too Closely" as the contributing factor. The driver of the Oldsmobile, a 61-year-old woman, suffered a facial contusion but remained conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The crash damaged the front of the Oldsmobile and the rear of the Jeep. No other contributing factors or victim actions are noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4779440 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 14 - A 2024 SUV struck the center back end of a parked vehicle on Gansevoort Street in Manhattan. Two male occupants suffered head and face injuries with whiplash. Both were conscious and restrained by lap belts at the time of impact.

According to the police report, a 2024 Toyota SUV traveling north on Gansevoort Street rear-ended a parked vehicle, impacting the center back end. The SUV carried five occupants. The driver, a 33-year-old male, sustained head injuries and whiplash but was conscious and wearing a lap belt. A 29-year-old male passenger in the right rear seat also suffered facial injuries and whiplash, was conscious, and restrained by a lap belt. The report does not list any contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The collision occurred at 3:28 AM in Manhattan's 10014 zip code. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash highlights the dangers of rear-end collisions involving stationary vehicles in urban settings.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4778762 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 10 - A 76-year-old woman suffered a serious hip injury after being struck by an SUV on Greenwich Street. The driver’s inattention caused the collision at a marked crosswalk where the pedestrian was crossing without a signal. No vehicle damage was reported.

According to the police report, at 16:35 on Greenwich Street in Manhattan, a 76-year-old female pedestrian was injured when a 2022 Volkswagen SUV traveling north struck her at the center front end. The pedestrian was crossing at a marked crosswalk without a signal. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor, repeated twice, indicating the driver failed to maintain proper attention. The pedestrian sustained a contusion and a hip-upper leg injury classified as severity 3. The vehicle showed no damage, suggesting impact at low speed but with significant harm to the vulnerable pedestrian. The driver was licensed and driving straight ahead. The collision highlights the systemic danger posed by distracted driving in crosswalk zones.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4777958 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 7 - A 22-year-old woman was injured crossing Clarkson Street with the signal when a northbound vehicle making a left turn struck her. The driver failed to yield and was inattentive, causing abrasions to the pedestrian’s elbow and lower arm.

According to the police report, a pedestrian was injured at the intersection of Clarkson Street and Hudson Street in Manhattan at 13:34. The 22-year-old female pedestrian was crossing with the signal when a northbound vehicle making a left turn struck her. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The pedestrian suffered abrasions to her elbow and lower arm and remained conscious after the collision. The vehicle showed no damage and had no occupants other than the driver. This crash highlights the dangers posed by distracted drivers failing to yield to pedestrians legally crossing intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4783026 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 29 - A 70-year-old bicyclist was ejected and injured in a collision with a sedan on Bleecker Street. The impact caused abrasions to his face. Police cited failure to yield right-of-way by the sedan driver as a key factor in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 21:15 on Bleecker Street in Manhattan. A sedan traveling south struck a 70-year-old male bicyclist traveling east. The bicyclist was ejected from his bike and sustained abrasions to his face, classified as injury severity level 3. The report identifies 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Other Vehicular' factors attributed to the sedan driver. The bicyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. The sedan's point of impact was the center front end, while the bike showed no damage. The report explicitly notes the sedan driver’s failure to yield right-of-way as the primary contributing factor, underscoring driver error as the cause of the injury and ejection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4775224 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 22 - A 35-year-old male bicyclist suffered abrasions to his elbow and lower arm after a collision on 5th Avenue. The crash, marked by driver inattention, left the cyclist injured but conscious, with no vehicle damage reported.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on 5th Avenue near West 13th Street in Manhattan at 2:00 PM. The injured party was a 35-year-old male bicyclist traveling southbound, who sustained abrasions to his elbow and lower arm. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the collision. The bicyclist was not ejected and remained conscious throughout the incident. No damage was reported to the bicycle or the other involved vehicle. The report does not indicate any contributing factors related to the bicyclist's behavior or safety equipment. The collision highlights the systemic danger posed by distracted drivers in urban traffic environments.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4773629 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19