Precinct 81: Four dead, hundreds hurt. Same streets, same story.

Feb 3 - Two sedans collided on Broadway in Brooklyn at 10 p.m. Both drivers suffered neck injuries and whiplash. The crash involved a left turn and a straight travel path. Driver distraction and ignoring traffic controls were cited as causes.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Broadway near Jefferson Street in Brooklyn at 10 p.m. Two sedans collided: one making a left turn traveling south, the other going straight north. The point of impact was the left front bumper of the turning vehicle and the left side doors of the other. Both drivers, licensed men from New York, were injured with neck pain and whiplash, remaining conscious and restrained by seat belts. The front passenger in the northbound sedan also suffered neck injuries and whiplash. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors for both drivers. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved. The collision highlights driver errors in attention and failure to obey traffic controls as the primary causes.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790336 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 1 - A sedan driver suffered knee and lower leg injuries in a Brooklyn collision. The SUV, making a right turn, struck the sedan’s front. Police cite unsafe speed and driver distraction as key factors in the crash on Patchen Avenue.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Patchen Avenue in Brooklyn at 9:54 AM. A 55-year-old female sedan driver was injured, sustaining contusions to her knee, lower leg, and foot. She was conscious and restrained with a lap belt and harness. The collision involved a 2024 Toyota SUV traveling north and making a right turn, which impacted the left front bumper of the SUV and the center front end of the sedan. The police report lists unsafe speed and driver inattention or distraction as contributing factors to the crash. No contributing factors were attributed to the sedan driver. The incident highlights driver errors—specifically unsafe speed and distraction—leading to a serious injury in a multi-vehicle collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790087 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 30 - E-bike slammed sedan on Fulton. Passenger thrown, leg torn up. Driver’s bad lane move did it. Sedan untouched. Brooklyn street, night, pain left behind.

According to the police report, an e-bike collided with a sedan on Fulton Street near Schenectady Avenue in Brooklyn at 7:30 p.m. The crash left a 49-year-old female e-bike passenger injured, with abrasions and trauma to her knee, lower leg, and foot. She was partially ejected but remained conscious. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as the main contributing factor, attributed to the e-bike operator. The sedan, driven by a licensed woman, showed no damage. No other errors are cited. The passenger wore no safety equipment, but the report does not list this as a cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4789800 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 26 - A cargo van turned left on Cropsey Avenue. It struck Mayya Gil, 95, and her aide. Gil died. The aide survived. No charges for the driver. Another senior lost to city traffic. The street remains dangerous for the old and frail.

Gothamist (2025-01-26) reports that Mayya Gil, 95, was killed while crossing Cropsey Avenue in Brooklyn with her home health aide. According to the NYPD, 'a man driving a cargo van struck both of them while making a left turn.' Gil died from her injuries; her aide was hospitalized. Police did not arrest or charge the driver. The article notes that Gil was the second elderly pedestrian killed in Brooklyn this year, and cites Transportation Alternatives: '46 senior pedestrians were killed in car crashes across the city last year.' The crash highlights the ongoing risk seniors face on city streets, especially at intersections where turning vehicles endanger those crossing on foot.

• Elderly Woman Killed Crossing Cropsey Avenue, Gothamist, Published 2025-01-26

Jan 24 - A 29-year-old man crossing Malcolm X Blvd with the signal was struck by an SUV making a left turn. The impact caused contusions and injuries to his elbow and lower arm. The driver failed to yield right-of-way, according to police.

At approximately 4:00 PM on Malcolm X Blvd in Brooklyn, a 29-year-old male pedestrian was injured when an SUV making a left turn struck him. According to the police report, the pedestrian was crossing with the signal at the intersection when the collision occurred. The vehicle, a 2010 Lexus SUV traveling southwest, impacted the pedestrian with its right front bumper. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor attributed to the driver. The pedestrian sustained contusions and injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand but remained conscious. No damage was reported to the vehicle. The report does not list any contributing factors related to the pedestrian's actions beyond the driver’s failure to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4789144 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 20 - A distracted driver collided with two sedans on Gates Avenue, injuring three occupants. The impact caused head and neck injuries, including whiplash. All victims were conscious and restrained. Driver inattention was cited as the primary cause of the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Gates Avenue in Brooklyn at 10:30 AM. The collision involved three sedans. The driver of one sedan was cited for 'Driver Inattention/Distraction,' which was listed twice as a contributing factor. The crash injured three occupants: a 53-year-old female driver, a 49-year-old male driver, and a 72-year-old female front passenger. All were conscious and wearing lap belts and harnesses. Injuries included head trauma and whiplash, with injury severity rated at level 3. The report notes the impact points on the vehicles, including left side doors and front bumpers, indicating a multi-vehicle collision. No victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors. The crash highlights the dangers of driver distraction in urban traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787280 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 14 - A bus lunged from its parking spot on Fulton. Metal struck flesh. A 47-year-old woman on an e-scooter flew, body torn, blood pooling beneath the streetlamp. Shock and lacerations marked the aftermath. Driver inattention shaped the night’s violence.

According to the police report, a bus moved from its parked position near 1922 Fulton Street in Brooklyn at 22:10. An e-scooter, operated by a 47-year-old woman, was making a left turn when the collision occurred. The report states, 'A bus lunged from its parking spot. The e-scooter turned left. Metal struck flesh.' The woman was ejected from her scooter, sustaining severe lacerations and shock, with injuries to her entire body. The police report explicitly lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The bus's center front end struck the left side doors of the e-scooter. The victim was unlicensed and unshielded, but the report does not cite these as contributing factors. The impact left her torn and shaking beneath a streetlamp, underscoring the consequences of driver inattention in a city street environment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4785969 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 9 - A sedan driver with a permit turned right and struck a northbound motorcycle on Myrtle Ave. The motorcyclist, age 55, suffered leg injuries. Both vehicles took front-end damage. The crash exposed a gap in street safety.

According to the police report, a sedan with a permit driver made a right turn on Myrtle Ave at Lewis Ave in Brooklyn and collided with a northbound motorcycle. The 55-year-old motorcycle driver was injured in the knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists contributing factors as unspecified. The sedan driver was making a right turn while the motorcycle was going straight. The motorcycle driver wore a helmet. Both vehicles sustained front bumper damage. No actions by the motorcycle driver contributed to the crash, and the report does not blame the victim.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4786633 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 1 - A white Audi struck Michael Foster on Caton Avenue. The car dragged him for blocks. The driver never stopped. Foster died in the street. The Audi vanished into the night. No arrests. The city’s danger stays.

NY Daily News reported on January 1, 2025, that Michael Foster, 64, was killed after a white Audi hit him on Caton Ave. near Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn. The driver, described as speeding, dragged Foster for half a mile before leaving him near Linden Blvd. and Nostrand Ave. The article quotes a witness: "I saw him at the stop light. He would go out to the cars and beg for change." The driver fled the scene and has not been caught. No arrests have been made. The incident highlights the lethal risk for pedestrians in city streets and the ongoing issue of hit-and-run drivers evading responsibility.

• Audi Driver Drags Man Half Mile, NY Daily News, Published 2025-01-01

Dec 30 - A sedan making a left turn collided head-on with a southbound moped on Broadway in Brooklyn. The moped driver was ejected and suffered severe leg injuries. The sedan’s front center bore the impact, highlighting driver error in turn judgment.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 16:04 on Broadway near Vernon Ave in Brooklyn. A 2018 Honda sedan, traveling north and making a left turn, struck a 2023 moped traveling south straight ahead. The point of impact was the center front end of both vehicles. The moped driver, a 30-year-old male, was ejected from his vehicle and sustained serious injuries including fractures and dislocations to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The sedan driver was licensed and female. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but the critical driver error was the sedan’s left turn into the path of the moped. The moped driver’s license status was not provided. No victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors. The collision underscores the dangers posed by turning vehicles failing to yield to oncoming traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4782723 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 29 - A sedan struck a 35-year-old male bicyclist traveling south on Utica Avenue. The cyclist suffered upper arm abrasions and remained conscious. Police cite driver inattention and failure to yield as key factors in the collision’s impact and injuries.

According to the police report, the crash occurred around 12:30 PM on Utica Avenue near Fulton Street. A southbound sedan collided with a southbound bicyclist, impacting the cyclist’s right front quarter panel. The bicyclist, a 35-year-old male, sustained abrasions to his shoulder and upper arm but was conscious and not ejected from his bike. The report identifies driver inattention and failure to yield right-of-way as contributing factors to the crash. The sedan driver’s errors directly led to the collision and injuries. The bicyclist’s safety equipment status is unknown, and no victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors. Vehicle damage was noted on the bike’s right front quarter panel, while the sedan showed no damage. This crash underscores the dangers posed by distracted drivers failing to yield to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4782481 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 18 - Metal groaned on Nostrand Avenue. Two cars trapped, one stacked atop the other. A bus driver, a woman, a girl—hurt but alive. Emergency crews worked fast. The street bore the scars. The cause stayed hidden in the wreckage.

NY Daily News reported on December 18, 2024, that a multi-vehicle crash at Nostrand Ave. and Park Ave. in Brooklyn left three people injured. The article states, 'Three people were injured, including an MTA bus driver and a young girl, in a collision that pinned two cars between a box truck and a city bus.' Footage showed two vehicles sandwiched between the bus and truck, with one car stacked atop another. The injured included a 59-year-old MTA driver, a 33-year-old woman, and a 9-year-old girl. All were hospitalized in stable condition. The cause of the crash was not determined at the time of reporting. The incident highlights the risks at busy intersections and the dangers posed by large vehicles in dense urban traffic.

• Cars Crushed Between Bus And Truck, NY Daily News, Published 2024-12-18

Dec 14 - SUV turned left on Ralph Ave. Hit cyclist riding straight. Cyclist hurt, arm scraped. Driver unlicensed. System failed to protect the vulnerable.

According to the police report, an unlicensed male SUV driver turned left on Ralph Ave near Fulton St and struck a female bicyclist riding south. The cyclist suffered abrasions and injuries to her elbow, lower arm, and hand. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor, but the SUV driver's lack of a license stands out. The point of impact was the right front quarter panel of the SUV and the left front of the bike. The crash left the cyclist conscious but injured, underscoring the danger when unlicensed drivers operate heavy vehicles on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4781872 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 10 - An 11-year-old boy suffered knee and lower leg injuries after a distracted driver made a right turn and struck him at a Brooklyn intersection. The child was crossing with the signal when the vehicle’s front center impacted him, causing pain and shock.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 6:00 p.m. on Gates Avenue near Malcolm X Boulevard in Brooklyn. The driver, traveling south and making a right turn, struck an 11-year-old pedestrian who was crossing with the signal at the intersection. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The boy sustained injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, and was in shock, complaining of pain or nausea. The vehicle showed no damage despite the impact at the center front end. No other contributing factors related to the pedestrian were noted. This incident highlights the critical role of driver distraction in pedestrian injuries at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4777847 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 9 - A 75-year-old man suffered upper leg injuries and shock after a sedan struck him at a Brooklyn intersection. The driver, making a left turn, failed to pay attention, hitting the pedestrian who was crossing with the signal. No vehicle damage was reported.

According to the police report, a 75-year-old male pedestrian was injured when a 2022 sedan, driven by a licensed female driver, struck him at the intersection of Stuyvesant Ave and Monroe St in Brooklyn at 16:55. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the collision occurred. The driver was making a left turn and the point of impact was the left front bumper of the sedan. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor to the crash. The pedestrian sustained contusions and injuries to the hip and upper leg, resulting in shock. Despite the impact, the vehicle sustained no damage. The report explicitly identifies driver error, with no contributing factors attributed to the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4777845 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 6 - A distracted driver triggered a collision involving three northbound vehicles on Malcolm X Blvd. The crash left a 58-year-old sedan driver semiconscious with injuries. Police cite driver inattention as the primary factor in the chain reaction crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 6:10 AM on Malcolm X Blvd in Brooklyn. Three northbound vehicles—a 2024 Kia SUV, a 2015 Toyota sedan, and a 2005 Honda SUV—were involved. The Toyota sedan, driven by a 58-year-old man, was slowing or stopping when the crash occurred. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The sedan driver was injured, described as semiconscious with complaints of pain or nausea. The Honda SUV driver was unlicensed, adding to the systemic danger. The Kia SUV was parked before impact. The collision damaged the left rear quarter panels of the sedan and Kia SUV and the right front quarter panel of the Honda SUV. The report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors, focusing on driver errors and license status.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4776887 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 27 - A driver struck three cars in Bed-Stuy. She dragged a person, hit a vehicle with a pregnant woman, then crashed into an empty car. No life-threatening injuries. Police arrested her at the scene. Charges include assault and reckless endangerment.

Gothamist reported on November 27, 2024, that a New York City Housing Authority employee was arrested after a chaotic crash in Brooklyn. According to police, the driver, Tanisha Simpson, "swiped an oncoming car," then "drove away, dragging the person several feet and hitting another car with a pregnant woman inside." She struck a third, empty car before New York City Sheriffs arrested her nearby. The pregnant woman was taken to the hospital for evaluation, but no serious injuries were reported. Simpson faces charges of reckless endangerment, assault, and leaving the scene. The incident highlights the dangers of hit-and-run behavior and the risks faced by vulnerable road users at busy intersections.

• Three-Car Brooklyn Crash Sparks Arrest, Gothamist, Published 2024-11-27

Nov 24 - Taxi failed to yield. Struck a 21-year-old man crossing with the signal. Impact hit his knee, leg, foot. He fell, shocked, hurt. Brooklyn street, night. System failed to protect him.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling northeast on Stuyvesant Avenue in Brooklyn made a left turn and struck a 21-year-old male pedestrian at the intersection with Decatur Street at 19:50. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor by the taxi driver. The pedestrian suffered injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, and was reported in shock. No contributing factors were attributed to the pedestrian. The impact was at the center front end of the taxi, which sustained no damage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4773990 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 23 - Two sedans slammed together on Decatur Street. A young woman at the wheel took a hard hit to her shoulder. Police blamed unsafe speed and driver distraction. The street bore the scars. One driver paid the price.

Two sedans collided on Decatur Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, unsafe speed and driver inattention or distraction caused the crash. A 20-year-old female driver with a permit suffered a serious shoulder injury. She was conscious and wore a lap belt. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The report lists unsafe speed and distraction as the key driver errors. The crash left both vehicles damaged and one driver hurt. Systemic danger and driver mistakes shaped the outcome on this Brooklyn street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4773994 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 21 - A 28-year-old woman was struck at a Brooklyn intersection while crossing with the signal. The sedan, making a left turn, hit her with its right front bumper. Limited visibility contributed to the crash. The pedestrian suffered knee and lower leg injuries.

According to the police report, a 28-year-old female pedestrian was injured at the intersection of Stuyvesant Ave and Fulton St in Brooklyn at 6:28 PM. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when a 2022 Toyota sedan, traveling southeast and making a left turn, struck her with the right front bumper. The report notes the driver's error as a failure to yield during the left turn, compounded by 'View Obstructed/Limited,' which impaired the driver's ability to see the pedestrian. The pedestrian sustained contusions and bruises to her knee, lower leg, and foot, with an injury severity rated at 3. The sedan showed no vehicle damage. The report does not list any contributing factors related to the pedestrian's actions or equipment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4775251 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19