No More Names on Asphalt

May 5 - Four vehicles jammed up on Manhattan Bridge. Two drivers suffered neck injuries. Metal crumpled. Traffic stopped. No clear cause. The city’s danger, laid bare in steel and pain.

A crash involving four vehicles—three SUVs and a sedan—occurred on the Manhattan Bridge upper roadway. According to the police report, two drivers, a 33-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman, sustained neck injuries and whiplash. Several other occupants, including a passenger and a child, were listed with unspecified injuries. The report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' Multiple vehicles were stopped in traffic when the collision happened. No driver errors were identified in the data. The incident highlights the risk and violence of multi-car pileups on city bridges.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810643 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 3 - Taxi and sedan collided on FDR Drive. Improper lane use sent two men and a woman to the hospital. Passenger suffered neck and internal injuries. Crash cut through the morning calm.

A taxi and a sedan crashed on FDR Drive in Manhattan. According to the police report, the collision was caused by 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper.' A 30-year-old female passenger in the taxi suffered neck and internal injuries. Two men, ages 42, were also injured. Both vehicles were traveling north and going straight ahead when the crash occurred. The report lists improper lane usage as the primary contributing factor. No other causes are cited.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810794 - 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

Apr 28 - A sedan hit a 27-year-old man at Delancey and Clinton. The crash left him injured and incoherent. Police cite 'Other Vehicular' factors. The street saw pain and confusion. The car kept moving. The city kept moving.

A sedan struck a 27-year-old male pedestrian at the intersection of Delancey Street and Clinton Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the pedestrian suffered injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, and was described as incoherent at the scene. The report lists 'Other Vehicular' as the contributing factor. No helmet or signal issues were cited. The crash underscores the dangers faced by pedestrians on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808869 - 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 26 - A sedan hit a man on Columbia Street. The driver was distracted. The pedestrian suffered internal injuries to the abdomen and pelvis. Night fell hard in Manhattan.

A sedan struck a 38-year-old male pedestrian near 120 Columbia Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the driver was inattentive or distracted. The pedestrian was not at an intersection when hit and suffered internal injuries to his abdomen and pelvis. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No other errors or factors are noted in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811066 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 26 - Two sedans crashed on FDR Drive. A driver and passenger suffered head and neck injuries. Police cite following too closely. Metal, glass, pain. The city moves on.

Two sedans crashed on Franklin D Roosevelt Drive at East Houston Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the crash injured a 22-year-old driver and a 71-year-old front passenger. The driver suffered neck pain; the passenger had a head contusion. Police list 'Following Too Closely' as a contributing factor. Both vehicles were going straight. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The report does not mention helmet or signal use. The crash highlights the danger when drivers fail to keep safe distance.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809535 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 12 - Sedan cut lanes on Williamsburg Bridge path. Three passengers hurt. Faces and heads bloodied. Police cite unsafe lane change. Metal and flesh met. System failed to protect.

A sedan traveling east on the Williamsburg Bridge bike and pedestrian path struck trouble. Three passengers suffered injuries to the face and head. According to the police report, 'Unsafe Lane Changing' was the main contributing factor. The crash left blood and abrasions. The driver and two passengers were hurt. The report lists no other contributing factors. The system allowed a car to endanger vulnerable users in a space meant for safety.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805151 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

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 - Two SUVs crashed on FDR Drive. One driver suffered neck injuries. Police cite inattention and inexperience. Metal and glass. Sudden impact. Streets remain unforgiving.

Two station wagons, both SUVs, collided on Franklin D Roosevelt Drive at East Houston Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, one driver, a 35-year-old man, was injured with neck trauma. The crash involved both vehicles traveling south, one changing lanes and the other going straight. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The report notes no other contributing factors. The toll: one injured, two others with unspecified injuries. The city’s roads remain hazardous for all.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805053 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 11 - Including Thursday's deadly crash, 25 people have been killed in New York City sightseeing helicopter accidents in the last 40 years.

• Lawmakers aim to make changes after New York City sightseeing helicopter crash, ABC7, Published 2025-04-11

Apr 7 - A box truck struck a man sitting in the street at West 40th and 9th. The man died at the scene. The driver stayed. Police are investigating. No arrests. The victim’s name is not known.

Patch reported on April 7, 2025, that a man was killed by a box truck at West 40th Street and 9th Avenue in Manhattan. The article states, “Police determined that a box truck, operated by a 75-year-old man, was traveling southbound on 9 Avenue when the vehicle collided with the victim, who was sitting in the roadway.” The driver remained at the scene and was not injured. No arrests have been made. The victim’s identity has not been released. The incident highlights the persistent risk to people in city streets and the need for scrutiny of how large vehicles interact with vulnerable road users. The investigation is ongoing.

• Box Truck Kills Man In Hell's Kitchen, Patch, Published 2025-04-07

Apr 4 - Metal screamed on FDR Drive. An 81-year-old woman and a child injured. Blood on the armrest. Sirens wailed. Unsafe lane change cut through the morning. System failed the vulnerable. Pain lingered in steel and flesh.

A crash on FDR Drive left an 81-year-old woman with shoulder injuries and a 4-year-old child shaken. A 35-year-old passenger suffered back pain, and an 80-year-old man was hurt in the leg. According to the police report, multiple sedans and SUVs collided. The report cites 'Unsafe Lane Changing' as the main contributing factor. Blood marked the scene. Sirens followed. The system put the most vulnerable at risk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804265 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 3 - A stolen SUV crashed and burned in Inwood. Two NYPD officers chased it, then left the wreck. The driver died in the flames. The officers returned to their Bronx precinct. They did not report the crash. Both are now suspended.

According to the NY Daily News (April 3, 2025), two NYPD officers pursued a stolen Honda CR-V from the Bronx into Manhattan. The chase ended when the SUV crashed into a building near Dyckman St and burst into flames. The officers 'fled the scene,' leaving the driver, who died in the fire. Surveillance footage showed their patrol car leaving. The officers did not report the incident and finished their shift. Both were suspended as the NYPD Force Investigation Division launched a probe. This crash comes after the NYPD tightened pursuit policies, now allowing chases only for felonies or violent misdemeanors. The department aims to avoid pursuits that 'lead to crashes and injure other motorists and pedestrians.' NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said police would instead use 'advanced tools of modern-day policing' to track suspects.

• Officers Flee Scene After Fatal Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-03

Apr 2 - Taxi hit a 73-year-old woman crossing Delancey. She walked with the signal. Her leg was hurt. Police cite failure to yield. Streets remain harsh for those on foot.

A taxi traveling east on Delancey Street struck a 73-year-old woman as she crossed at Norfolk Street with the signal. She suffered injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot. According to the police report, the driver failed to yield the right-of-way. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. The pedestrian was left in shock and pain. No other injuries were reported. The crash underscores the ongoing risk to pedestrians in Manhattan.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4803351 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 28 - E-scooter hit a woman crossing East Broadway with the signal. She took the blow to her upper arm. The driver failed to yield. Streets remain perilous for those on foot.

According to the police report, an e-scooter traveling east on East Broadway near Jefferson Street struck a 44-year-old woman as she crossed with the signal. The pedestrian suffered a contusion and bruising to her upper arm and shoulder but remained conscious. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The e-scooter showed no damage. The crash highlights the danger when drivers ignore pedestrian right-of-way at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806173 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 27 - Two taxis collided on FDR Drive at night. One driver suffered neck injuries and shock. The crash involved a failure to yield right-of-way. Impact damaged the right front and left rear bumpers. Airbags deployed for the injured driver.

According to the police report, two taxis traveling south on FDR Drive collided at 20:11. One taxi was going straight ahead while the other was merging. The point of impact was the right front bumper of the first taxi and the left rear bumper of the second. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The injured party was a 35-year-old male driver of one taxi who suffered a neck injury described as whiplash and was in shock. His airbag deployed during the crash. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The collision caused significant damage to the vehicles' bumpers. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4801880 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 6 - A parked sedan’s door hit an eastbound cyclist on East Broadway. The rider was thrown, suffering leg injuries and abrasions. Manhattan’s streets again proved perilous for those outside a car.

According to the police report, a crash occurred at 15:05 on East Broadway in Manhattan. A sedan, parked before the incident, struck a 33-year-old male bicyclist traveling eastbound. The impact was at the sedan’s left side doors, damaging its left front bumper. The cyclist was ejected and injured in the knee, lower leg, and foot, with abrasions. He remained conscious after the collision. The report lists no specific contributing factors, but the sedan’s parked status and door impact highlight the danger of vehicle movements near cyclists. No victim actions contributed to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4796855 - 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 28 - A westbound sedan and box truck collided on the Williamsburg Bridge Inner Roadway. Unsafe lane changing by one driver caused impact on the sedan’s right front and the truck’s left side. The sedan driver suffered neck injuries and shock.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 12:40 on the Williamsburg Bridge Inner Roadway. A 39-year-old female sedan driver, traveling west and going straight ahead, was struck on the right front quarter panel by a box truck merging in the same direction. The box truck, also westbound, impacted the sedan’s right front with its left side doors. The report cites "Unsafe Lane Changing" as the contributing factor. The sedan driver, wearing a lap belt and harness, was injured with neck trauma and experienced shock. She was not ejected and complained of whiplash. The box truck had two occupants, and its driver was licensed. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved. The collision highlights the dangers of improper lane changes on busy roadways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4795470 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19