Red Lights, Dead Pedestrians—City Waits, People Die

Jun 2 - A sedan backed up on 40th Street. It hit an 82-year-old woman. She was not in the roadway. She suffered a facial contusion. The driver was unhurt. The street saw another mark in the city’s toll.

An 82-year-old woman was struck and injured by a sedan backing up near 653 40th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the pedestrian was not in the roadway when the vehicle, a Nissan sedan, reversed and hit her. She suffered a facial bruise. The driver, a 62-year-old man, was not injured. The police report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction were recorded in the data. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report. The incident highlights the risk to pedestrians even when they are not in the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817711 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 31 - A pickup and a sedan crashed on 35th Street in Brooklyn. One driver suffered a neck injury. The crash came fast. Police cite unsafe speed. Metal twisted. Shock followed. Another occupant was hurt. The street bore the mark of impact.

A pickup truck and a sedan collided on 35th Street near 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the crash involved unsafe speed. One driver, a 40-year-old man, suffered a neck injury and was in shock. Another occupant was also injured. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. The pickup was struck at the left rear bumper, while the sedan was damaged at the center front end. Airbags deployed in the pickup. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The police report does not specify further details about the sequence of events or additional injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816729 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 30 - Two sedans collided on the Gowanus Ramp. One driver, nineteen, suffered neck injuries. Police cite improper lane use and passing too closely. Metal scraped metal. The night air filled with the sound of impact. The system failed to protect.

Two sedans crashed on the Gowanus Ramp in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a nineteen-year-old driver suffered neck injuries described as whiplash. Another occupant, age thirty-four, had unspecified injuries. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' and 'Passing Too Closely' as contributing factors. Both vehicles were traveling north; one was going straight, the other making a left turn. The BMW sedan sustained damage to its right rear bumper. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash highlights the danger of improper lane changes and close passing. The police report makes no mention of helmet or signal use.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816730 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 27 - A sedan struck a cyclist on 19th Street in Brooklyn. The cyclist flew from his bike, hit his head, and suffered bruises. Police cited failure to yield. The driver was not ejected. Both remained conscious after the crash.

A crash on 19th Street in Brooklyn involved a sedan and a cyclist. The 28-year-old male cyclist was ejected from his bike and suffered a head injury and bruising. According to the police report, 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' was listed as a contributing factor. The sedan, driven by a 74-year-old man, was traveling north while the cyclist headed south. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage. The cyclist was not wearing safety equipment. The driver was not ejected and remained conscious. No injuries were specified for the sedan driver. The police report does not mention any actions by the cyclist as contributing factors. The crash highlights the danger when drivers fail to yield to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816397 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 26 - A driver struck Tiffany Cifuni after a fender-bender in Bedford-Stuyvesant. She was pregnant. The driver dragged her down a one-way street, crashed again, then fled. Cifuni’s family mourns. The street holds the mark of violence and loss.

NY Daily News reported on May 26, 2025, that Tiffany Cifuni, 32, was killed after a Chevy Trax rear-ended her on Van Buren St. in Brooklyn. Cifuni exited her vehicle to confront the driver, who then ran her over and dragged her down the street. The driver fled, crashing into two more vehicles before abandoning the car. The article quotes Cifuni’s husband: “I lost my whole family tonight.” Surveillance footage captured the confrontation and the fatal impact. The incident highlights the lethal risk of driver aggression and the dangers of hit-and-run crashes. The driver’s decision to flee and drive the wrong way down a one-way street escalated the harm, underscoring systemic failures in street safety and enforcement.

• Pregnant Woman Killed In Brooklyn Hit-Run, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-26

May 25 - A moped’s faulty accelerator sent its driver flying on 6th Avenue in Brooklyn. The rider, 26, hit the ground hard. He suffered a fractured leg. The crash left him conscious but injured. The street stayed quiet. The danger was mechanical.

A 26-year-old moped driver was ejected and injured on 6th Avenue at 48th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the crash was caused by a defective accelerator. The rider suffered a fractured and dislocated lower leg but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Accelerator Defective' as the sole contributing factor. No other vehicles or people were involved. The moped sustained unspecified damage. The driver was not using any safety equipment. The crash highlights the danger posed by mechanical failures on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816070 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 25 - A maroon Chevy struck a car from behind in Brooklyn. The woman inside stepped out. The driver ran her over and dragged her. She died in the street. The driver fled. Police search for answers.

CBS New York reported on May 25, 2025, that a woman was killed in Brooklyn after a maroon Chevy rear-ended her car. According to police, 'when she got out to approach the vehicle she was run over and dragged.' The driver did not remain at the scene. The incident highlights the lethal risk posed by drivers who flee after collisions. The NYPD is searching for the suspect. The case underscores ongoing dangers for vulnerable road users and the urgent need for stronger enforcement and street design to prevent such deaths.

• Woman Run Down After Brooklyn Crash, CBS New York, Published 2025-05-25

May 24 - Two cars slammed together at 3rd Avenue and 50th Street. Metal twisted. Three men hurt. One bled. Two bruised. A baby and another man shaken. Police blamed other vehicular factors. The street stayed busy. The danger stayed real.

A station wagon SUV and a sedan collided at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and 50th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, three men were injured: a 40-year-old front passenger suffered minor bleeding, while both drivers, aged 26 and 38, sustained bruises. A 49-year-old man and an infant were also involved but their injuries were unspecified. The report lists 'Other Vehicular' as the contributing factor for all involved. Both vehicles were traveling straight before impact, with the sedan striking the SUV’s right rear quarter panel. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report. The crash left bodies hurt and the street marked by another violent impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815127 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 21 - Two SUVs collided on Prospect Expressway. One driver struck the other from behind. A 59-year-old man suffered a head injury. Police cite following too closely as the cause.

Two sport utility vehicles crashed on Prospect Expressway East in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one SUV was stopped in traffic when another SUV, starting in traffic, struck it from behind. A 59-year-old male driver suffered a head injury and reported whiplash. An 87-year-old woman and a child were also involved but their injuries were unspecified. Police list 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor. No other causes are cited in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814572 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 17 - A sedan hit a man crossing 40th Street. The driver failed to yield. The pedestrian suffered abdominal injuries. Police cite driver inattention and failure to yield as causes.

A 31-year-old man was injured when a sedan struck him as he crossed 40th Street at 6th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the pedestrian was in a marked crosswalk with no signal when the crash occurred. The driver, a 77-year-old man, was making a left turn. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The pedestrian suffered injuries to the abdomen and pelvis and was in shock. The report does not list any contributing factors for the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816063 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 16 - Two sedans crashed while turning on 60th Street in Brooklyn. One driver suffered a fractured arm. The police report lists no clear cause. Metal and bone broke. Streets stayed busy.

Two sedans collided while both were making right turns on 60th Street at 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one driver, a 44-year-old man, suffered a fractured and dislocated shoulder. Three other occupants had unspecified injuries. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors. Both vehicles sustained damage to their sides and front panels. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4813297 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 16 - A car struck Maurette Lafleur in the crosswalk. She had the signal. The driver sped through. Bones broke. She died on Rutland Road. The street stayed loud. Witnesses watched. The city’s crackdown missed the real threat.

Streetsblog NYC reported on May 16, 2025, that a 68-year-old woman, Maurette Lafleur, was killed by a driver while crossing Rutland Road at E. 95th Street in East Flatbush. Lafleur was in the crosswalk with the walk signal when the driver of a 2025 Mercedes Benz GLC 300 struck her. A witness told Streetsblog, "The lady spin around and sped through," and described hearing the impact. The article notes that police have not released the driver's name. The incident occurred as NYPD focused enforcement on electric bikes, while drivers continue to cause deadly harm. The tragedy highlights the ongoing danger to pedestrians and raises questions about city policy and street design.

• Driver Kills Senior In East Flatbush, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-16

May 15 - A car struck Larry Maxwell, 72, on Sutter Avenue. The driver had just crashed into another vehicle and fled. Maxwell died at Brookdale Hospital. The driver did not stop. Police are still searching. No arrests. The street stayed quiet.

NY Daily News reported on May 15, 2025, that Larry Maxwell, 72, was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Brownsville, Brooklyn. The article states, “An elderly man was mowed down and killed by a hit-and-run driver in Brooklyn on May 10, just seconds after the same driver smashed into a nearby vehicle.” The driver first collided with a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu, then continued on and struck Maxwell near Sutter Ave. and Osborn St. The Malibu’s occupants were uninjured and remained at the scene. The driver who killed Maxwell fled and remains unidentified. The NYPD Highway District collision investigation squad is investigating. No arrests have been made. The case highlights the lethal risk of fleeing drivers and the ongoing challenge of enforcement.

• Hit-And-Run Driver Kills Brooklyn Elder, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-15

May 12 - A bus and SUV collided on 5th Ave in Brooklyn. A 51-year-old woman, riding as a passenger, suffered neck injuries. Police list contributing factors as unspecified. Streets remain unforgiving.

A bus and an SUV crashed on 5th Ave at 56th St in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a 51-year-old female passenger suffered neck injuries, described as whiplash. The report lists contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No other injuries were reported. Both vehicles were traveling south. The bus was slowing or stopping when the SUV struck its rear. No driver errors were specified in the data. The injured passenger was not ejected and was not using safety equipment. The crash highlights the risks faced by passengers in city traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4813462 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 12 - A sedan hit a 74-year-old man crossing 4th Avenue. The car’s front slammed into him. He suffered a head injury. Police cite failure to yield. The street stayed open. The danger remains.

A BMW sedan struck a 74-year-old man at the intersection of 4th Avenue and 37th Street in Brooklyn. The pedestrian was crossing when the car, making a left turn, hit him with its front end. According to the police report, the pedestrian suffered a head injury and was conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The driver was licensed and remained at the scene. The crash exposes the ongoing threat to pedestrians on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812288 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 12 - Five killed. Forty badly hurt. Conduit Avenue runs fast and bare. No signals. No safe crossings. City now calls in neighbors. Promises change. Workshops open. Danger remains until streets change.

Gothamist reported on May 12, 2025, that the city will redesign Conduit Avenue, a three-mile stretch in Brooklyn and Queens where 'more than 40 serious injuries and five deaths' have occurred in five years. The corridor lacks basic pedestrian infrastructure and has 'long stretches without signalized crossings,' which encourages highway-speed driving through residential areas. The Department of Transportation is launching community workshops and an online feedback map to gather public input. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, 'Brooklyn and Queens Residents deserve a Conduit Boulevard that improves daily life, not a roadway that puts pedestrians and drivers at risk.' The redesign aims to address systemic dangers and create safer, more connected streets.

• City Plans Overhaul Of Conduit Corridor, Gothamist, Published 2025-05-12

May 8 - A police cruiser slammed into a Nissan at a Brooklyn intersection. Sirens wailed. Metal twisted. An officer lay critically hurt. The Nissan driver survived. The street bore the scars. Another night, another crash. The city keeps moving.

ABC7 reported on May 8, 2025, that an NYPD officer was critically injured when a marked police vehicle collided with a white Nissan Rogue at Willoughby Avenue and Walworth Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Officers were responding to a 911 call for an armed man. The article states, “A marked NYPD vehicle was traveling eastbound on Willoughby Avenue when it collided with a white Nissan Rogue traveling northbound on Walworth Street.” The officer was hospitalized in critical but stable condition; the Nissan driver, age 28, was also hospitalized and is stable. The crash highlights the dangers at intersections, especially during emergency responses. The investigation continues, with no details yet on contributing factors or policy changes.

• NYPD Cruiser Collides With Nissan In Brooklyn, ABC7, Published 2025-05-08

May 7 - A sedan hit a 73-year-old man crossing 7th Ave. The driver was distracted. The man suffered neck injuries and shock. Blood on the street. Brooklyn traffic did not stop.

A 73-year-old pedestrian was struck by a sedan while crossing at 7th Ave and 40th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the driver was making a left turn and was inattentive or distracted. The pedestrian suffered neck injuries and minor bleeding, and was in shock. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No driver injuries were reported. The crash highlights the danger faced by people crossing city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811096 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 7 - A sedan hit an e-bike on McDonald Ave. The cyclist, ejected and bleeding from the face, lay hurt. Police cite driver distraction. Metal and flesh met in Brooklyn’s morning light.

A sedan collided with an e-bike on McDonald Ave near Greenwood Ave in Brooklyn. The 60-year-old male cyclist was ejected and suffered severe facial lacerations. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' contributed to the crash. The cyclist was unlicensed and wore no safety equipment, but the police report lists driver distraction as the primary factor. No injuries were reported for the sedan occupant. The crash underscores the danger faced by cyclists on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811100 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 6 - A principal drove down Lenox Road, lost control, hit parked cars, and flipped his vehicle. Police pulled him from the wreck. He refused a Breathalyzer. Charges followed. The street bore the scars. The system let him drive. The danger stayed.

According to NY Daily News (2025-05-06), Gregory Jackson, principal of Brownsville Collaborative Middle School, crashed on Lenox Road near Utica Ave. Police say he struck several parked cars and overturned his vehicle around 11:30 p.m. Jackson told police he had 'only one drink.' He refused a Breathalyzer test at the scene. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while impaired, and refusing the test. The Department of Education referred questions to the NYPD. The incident highlights the ongoing risk posed by impaired drivers and the vulnerability of anyone near city streets, even when parked. Systemic gaps allow such danger to persist.

• Principal Overturns Car In Brooklyn Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-06