Blood on the Asphalt: Hold Precinct 78 Accountable Now

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 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 21 - SUV cut left on Union Street. Cyclist hit, thrown, leg smashed. Pain, shock, blood on the street. Failure to yield. Brooklyn night, sirens wail.

A 52-year-old woman riding a bike was hit and injured by an SUV making a left turn on Union Street at 5th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The cyclist was ejected and suffered injuries to her leg, reporting pain and shock. The SUV driver was licensed in Georgia. No injuries were reported for the SUV occupants. The police report lists no other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814764 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 18 - A cyclist riding south on 4th Avenue suffered a fractured arm after a vehicle passed too closely. The crash left the rider in shock and pain. Improper lane use played a role.

A 34-year-old male cyclist was injured on 4th Avenue at 5th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the crash involved a bike and another unspecified vehicle, both traveling south. The cyclist suffered a fractured and dislocated upper arm and was left in shock. The report lists 'Passing Too Closely' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The cyclist was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814147 - 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 14 - A sedan hit a 63-year-old woman crossing Flatbush Avenue. She suffered a head injury. The driver failed to yield. The street stayed loud. The crosswalk did not protect her.

A 63-year-old woman was struck by a sedan while crossing Flatbush Avenue at Prospect Place in Brooklyn. She was crossing with the signal and suffered a head injury. According to the police report, the driver failed to yield the right-of-way while making a left turn. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. No other contributing factors were noted. The driver was licensed and not using safety equipment. The crash left the pedestrian injured and exposed the danger at this intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814165 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 13 - Sedan and box truck collided on 4th Avenue. Two people hurt. Police cite improper lane use and driver distraction. Metal twisted. Pain followed.

A sedan and a box truck crashed on 4th Avenue at 6th Street in Brooklyn. Two occupants suffered injuries: a 29-year-old woman with back pain and a 28-year-old man with neck whiplash. According to the police report, both vehicles were cited for 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The impact struck the front quarter panels of both vehicles. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash left passengers and drivers shaken and hurt. Helmet or signal use was not listed as a factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814163 - 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 - SUV cut right on Flatbush. E-bike rider struck, leg bloodied. Driver distracted, used lane wrong. Streets failed the cyclist.

A station wagon SUV making a right turn on Flatbush Avenue collided with a southbound e-bike. The 39-year-old e-bike rider suffered a knee and lower leg injury. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' were listed as contributing factors. The SUV's right front hit the e-bike's left side. The cyclist was left with abrasions. Systemic danger and driver error put the vulnerable rider in harm's way.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811560 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

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 - SUV slammed left rear. Two passengers hurt, one with back pain, one with shoulder injury. Driver also injured. Police list cause as unspecified. Brooklyn street, night, sharp impact.

An SUV struck its left rear quarter panel near Prospect Park West in Brooklyn at 10 p.m. Three people inside were injured: a 40-year-old woman suffered a shoulder injury, a 41-year-old man had back pain, and the 42-year-old male driver was also hurt. According to the police report, the cause was 'unspecified.' No driver errors were listed. The crash left passengers with whiplash and other injuries. The report does not mention any contributing factors beyond 'unspecified.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811228 - 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

May 4 - A volunteer EMT hit a 19-year-old crossing McDonald Avenue. The crash happened at night. Lights and sirens blared. The young man suffered severe head trauma. Medics rushed him to the hospital. The driver stayed. Police are investigating.

According to NY Daily News (2025-05-04), a Hatzolah volunteer EMT driving a smart car struck a 19-year-old pedestrian at McDonald Avenue and Avenue P in Brooklyn around 1:20 a.m. The article states, “The 39-year-old driver was behind the wheel of a smart car for the ambulance service, going north on McDonald Ave., lights and sirens on, when he struck the pedestrian as he was crossing.” The pedestrian suffered critical head injuries and was transported to Maimonides Hospital. The driver remained at the scene. Police are investigating the crash. The incident highlights the risks faced by pedestrians, even when emergency vehicles are present. No charges have been filed as of publication.

• EMT Strikes Pedestrian On McDonald Ave, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-04

Apr 30 - A stolen Porsche sped through Brooklyn. Police set a roadblock. The car veered toward officers. One fired. The driver, struck, crashed again and died at the hospital. The chase ended in Starrett City. No officers or passengers were reported hurt.

Gothamist reported on April 30, 2025, that NYPD officers shot and killed a man driving a stolen Porsche after a chase on the Belt Parkway. Police said the driver, spotted near Brighton Beach, "maneuvered onto the service road in [the] direction of several officers who set up a roadblock to stop this vehicle." When the driver "veered toward one of the officers and nearly hit him," an officer fired, striking the driver. The car continued another mile before crashing again. The driver died at Brookdale Hospital. The incident was captured on police body cameras. Officers were treated at local hospitals but not injured. The article notes this was the fourth fatal police shooting by NYPD in 2025. The event highlights risks of high-speed chases and the dangers posed by fleeing vehicles near roadblocks.

• Police Shoot Driver After Parkway Chase, Gothamist, Published 2025-04-30

Apr 24 - A turning SUV hit a cyclist on Bergen Street. The rider suffered leg injuries. Shock rippled through the scene. No driver errors listed. The crash left scars and questions.

A crash on Bergen Street in Brooklyn involved two SUVs and a cyclist. The cyclist, a 60-year-old man, suffered injuries to his lower leg and was in shock. According to the police report, one SUV was making a U-turn when the collision happened. No specific driver errors were listed in the report. The cyclist wore a helmet, as noted in the data. The crash left the cyclist hurt and others shaken, but the report does not detail further contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809255 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 24 - A 101-year-old woman crossed with the light. An SUV turned left. The driver was unlicensed. She died days later. Her family mourns. The street remains the same.

According to the New York Post (April 24, 2025), Taibel Brod, 101, was fatally struck by a 2023 GMC Yukon while crossing Brooklyn Avenue at Montgomery Street in Crown Heights. Police say Brod had the light. The driver, Menachem Shagalow, 65, was unlicensed and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation and failure to exercise due care. The article quotes Brod's grandson: "She was extremely independent till her last day." Brod died less than two weeks after the crash. The incident highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians, especially from unlicensed drivers. Shagalow was released with a desk appearance ticket. The case underscores persistent gaps in enforcement and street design that leave vulnerable road users exposed.

• Unlicensed Driver Kills Brooklyn Matriarch, New York Post, Published 2025-04-24

Apr 23 - Taibel Brod crossed with the light. The SUV turned left, struck her. She fell. Two weeks later, she died. The driver had no license. Police charged him. The street stayed open. The city moved on.

NY Daily News reported on April 23, 2025, that Taibel Brod, 101, was killed after an SUV hit her while she crossed Montgomery St. in Crown Heights with the walk signal. The driver, Menachem Shagalow, turned left without a license and struck Brod. Police charged him with aggravated unlicensed operation and failure to exercise due care. The article quotes Brod’s son, who called the crash a "tragedy." Brod died from her injuries nearly two weeks later. The case highlights persistent dangers for pedestrians, especially from unlicensed drivers and left turns at intersections. No changes to the street were reported.

• Unlicensed SUV Driver Kills Brooklyn Elder, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-23

Apr 17 - A sedan making a U-turn hit a southbound cyclist on Fifth Avenue. The cyclist suffered leg injuries. Police cite failure to yield. The driver was unlicensed. System failed to protect the vulnerable.

A sedan making a U-turn collided with a 19-year-old cyclist traveling straight on Fifth Avenue in Brooklyn. The cyclist was injured, suffering trauma to his lower leg and foot. According to the police report, 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' was the contributing factor. The sedan’s driver was unlicensed. Three car occupants were listed with unspecified injuries. The crash highlights the danger when drivers ignore right-of-way and operate without a license. The cyclist had no safety equipment listed. The system left a vulnerable road user exposed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806751 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 16 - A sedan hit a woman crossing with the signal on Flatbush Ave. She suffered a head injury. The driver failed to yield and followed too closely. The street stayed loud. The danger stayed real.

A woman, age 40, was struck by a sedan while crossing Flatbush Ave at 6th Ave in Brooklyn. She was crossing with the signal and suffered a head contusion. According to the police report, the driver failed to yield right-of-way and followed too closely. The driver was making a right turn when the crash happened. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors. The driver was not injured. The pedestrian was left injured at the intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806748 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19