Recent severe crashes

1. Bus Driver Fatally Hits 9-Year-Old in Williamsburg 2026-05-01T08:16:00+00:00
   LEE AVE
   Joel or Yoel Jacobowitz, 9, was crossing on his way to school when he was killed in a Williamsburg crash with a bus driver making a left turn; official crash records list failure to yield.
   On the morning of May 1, 2026, a bus driver making a left turn at Lee Avenue and Lorimer Street in Williamsburg hit a 9-year-old boy who was crossing the street. The city crash record lists failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor and records one pedestrian death. Police accounts reported by multiple newsrooms said the 49-year-old school bus driver initially continued driving, then returned after being told what had happened. Reports identified the child as Joel Jacobowitz or Yoel Jacobowitz, and differed on whether he was pronounced dead at the scene or at a hospital. News accounts said no charges had been filed as investigators continued. Local officials and residents focused on the five-way intersection, which had recently been under construction and lacked clear crosswalk and street markings.
2. Distracted hit-and-run driver kills pedestrian in Brooklyn 2026-02-15T00:16:00+00:00
   VANDERVOORT AVE
   Police said Gregory Ventura, driving a Nissan Murano, hit Joshua Germain and left him near Vandervoort and Maspeth; official crash records cite driver inattention/distraction.
   Official crash records place the crash a little after midnight on Feb. 15, 2026, at Vandervoort Avenue and Maspeth Avenue in Brooklyn, recording one pedestrian, a 31-year-old man, killed and citing driver inattention/distraction. The New York Post, citing police, identified the pedestrian as Joshua Germain and the driver as Gregory Ventura, 35, and reported that Ventura was driving a Nissan Murano when he hit Germain and left the scene. The Post reported Germain was crossing at the Maspeth Avenue intersection; official person records describe the pedestrian location as not at an intersection. The Post reported Germain died Feb. 20 and Ventura surrendered June 22 and was charged with criminally negligent homicide.
3. Taxi Driver Fails to Yield, Hits Scooter Rider 2026-10-30T19:35:00+00:00
   RODNEY ST
   A taxi driver failed to yield while turning left on Rodney Street and hit an e-scooter rider. She was ejected and injured her knee, lower leg and foot.
   According to the police report, the 62-year-old taxi driver was making a left turn at Rodney Street and Borinquen Place when he hit a 54-year-old woman riding an e-scooter. Police recorded failure to yield the right-of-way by the taxi driver. The rider was ejected and reported injuries to her knee, lower leg and foot, along with pain or nausea.
4. A Brooklyn Cyclist Suffers Head Injury 2026-10-28T23:00:00+00:00
   UNION AVE
   A 34-year-old cyclist was injured at Union Avenue and Powers Street in Brooklyn. Police recorded a bicyclist/pedestrian error or confusion as a contributing factor.
   According to the police report, a 34-year-old bicyclist was injured at Union Avenue and Powers Street in Brooklyn at 11 p.m. The report lists a head injury and semiconscious condition. Police recorded “Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion” as a contributing factor. The available record does not describe how the crash happened or identify another person’s action.
5. Brooklyn SUV Driver Lost Consciousness 2026-10-15T12:00:00+00:00
   Unknown location
   Police recorded illness and loss of consciousness for the SUV driver, who was injured in a crash at 505 Johnson Avenue. A parked delivery truck was also listed.
   According to the police report, the 35-year-old driver of a 2018 SUV was traveling straight when the crash occurred at 505 Johnson Avenue in Brooklyn. Police recorded illness and loss of consciousness as contributing factors for the driver, who was injured and semiconscious. A parked delivery truck was listed in the crash record. Other occupants were listed; the report does not describe their injuries.