Brooklyn Bleeds: Elderly Killed, Promises Broken, Streets Still Deadly

A Honda sedan hit a 68-year-old man crossing Clarkson Avenue. The man had the signal. The car did not stop. He fell hard. Blood pooled. His head was bleeding. He stayed conscious. The driver failed to yield.

A 68-year-old man was crossing Clarkson Avenue at the crosswalk with the signal when a westbound Honda sedan struck him head-on. According to the police report, 'A 68-year-old man stepped into the crosswalk with the signal. A westbound Honda did not stop. The sedan struck him head-on. He fell. Blood pooled on the asphalt. His head was bleeding. He was conscious.' The pedestrian suffered a head injury and severe bleeding. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The driver continued straight and failed to yield to the pedestrian, who was lawfully crossing. No other contributing factors were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4559540, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 47-year-old man crashed his motorcycle on Linden Boulevard. He struck headfirst. Blood ran from his scalp. He stayed awake. The road tore skin from his body. Inexperience gripped the throttle. Sirens broke the silence.

A 47-year-old man riding a motorcycle westbound on Linden Boulevard near 155th in Brooklyn crashed headfirst and suffered severe head lacerations. According to the police report, 'Inexperience held the throttle.' The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor. The injured man was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data. He remained conscious at the scene, with blood pouring from his scalp and skin torn from his body. No other vehicles or people were reported injured. The crash highlights the dangers faced by motorcyclists, especially when driver inexperience is involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4562256, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan sped west on Eastern Parkway. The driver ran the light at Utica Avenue. A man crossed with the signal. The car hit him head-on. His skull split. Blood pooled. He lay semiconscious. The sedan rolled away, untouched.

A 60-year-old man was crossing Eastern Parkway at Utica Avenue with the signal when a westbound sedan struck him head-on. According to the police report, 'A man crossed with the light. A westbound sedan ran it. Struck him head-on.' The pedestrian suffered severe head lacerations and was left semiconscious at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The sedan showed no visible damage and continued on. The man was injured while following the signal. The crash highlights the danger when drivers ignore traffic controls and speed through intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4558296, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 36-year-old woman crossed Pacific Street in the crosswalk. An unlicensed SUV driver reversed. The bumper hit her head. She fell. Her skull shattered. She died on the street. Sunlight glared on the pavement where she lay.

A 36-year-old woman was killed while crossing Pacific Street near Buffalo Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, she was in a marked crosswalk when an unlicensed man reversed his 2008 SUV and struck her in the head with the bumper. The impact caused fatal head injuries. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Backing Unsafely' as contributing factors. The driver did not have a valid license. The woman was crossing with no signal, in a marked crosswalk. No mention of helmet or signaling as factors. The crash left her dead at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4555483, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man on an e-scooter hit hard at Flatbush and Woodruff. He was thrown, crushed, left conscious but broken. The scooter lay still in the street. Night swallowed the scene. The city moved on. The man did not.

A 49-year-old man riding an e-scooter south on Flatbush Avenue at Woodruff Avenue was ejected and suffered crush injuries to his entire body. According to the police report, the rider was conscious after the crash, but badly hurt. No other vehicles or persons were listed in the report. The e-scooter was damaged at the center back end. No driver errors or contributing factors were cited in the data. The report notes the rider wore no helmet, but does not list this as a contributing factor. The crash left the man broken in the street, his scooter still, the city unchanged.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4552831, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Toyota SUV turned right at Lefferts and Troy. A nine-year-old boy crossed outside the crosswalk. Steel hit flesh. The front end struck his legs. Blood pooled. His knee split open. The driver failed to yield. The boy stayed conscious.

A Toyota SUV, making a right turn at Lefferts Avenue and Troy Avenue in Brooklyn, struck a nine-year-old boy as he crossed the street outside a crosswalk. According to the police report, 'the front end strikes his legs. The boy bleeds, conscious, his knee torn open.' The child suffered severe lacerations to his knee and lower leg. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. No damage was reported to the vehicle. The driver, a 42-year-old man, was licensed and remained at the scene. The crash highlights the danger faced by children crossing city streets, especially when drivers fail to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4550600, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A woman rode west on Eastern Parkway. She crashed her bike. Alcohol was involved. Her helmet could not save her. Blood pooled on the street. The night was silent. No car. No other vehicle. Just the impact and aftermath.

A 33-year-old woman riding her bike west on Eastern Parkway suffered a severe head injury. According to the police report, 'Alcohol Involvement' was a contributing factor. The cyclist wore a helmet, but it did not prevent a serious injury. There was no car, no other vehicle, only the cyclist and the pavement. The report states she was incoherent and bleeding heavily from the head. The crash happened in the dark, with no witnesses or other parties involved. The data lists 'Alcohol Involvement' as the primary driver error. Helmet use is noted, but the injury was severe despite it.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4552181, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Dodge SUV hit a man in the crosswalk near midnight. The impact was head-on. Blood pooled. The man could not speak. The driver fled. The street stood silent, holding the aftermath.

A 45-year-old man was struck by a Dodge SUV while crossing at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn just before midnight. According to the police report, 'The Dodge SUV struck him head-on. His head bled. He could not speak. The driver did not stop.' The pedestrian suffered a severe head injury and was incoherent at the scene. The SUV’s center front end took the impact. The driver left without rendering aid. The police report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor for both driver and pedestrian. No other injuries were reported among the vehicle occupants. The report does not mention helmet use or turn signals as factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4552201, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Jeep hit a woman crossing Troy Avenue with the signal. The SUV’s front end smashed her face. Blood pooled on the street. She stayed conscious. The driver failed to yield. The city’s danger showed itself again at dawn.

A 29-year-old woman was crossing Troy Avenue at 5 a.m. with the signal when a Jeep SUV struck her. According to the police report, the SUV’s front end hit her face, causing severe lacerations. She remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the driver’s contributing factor. The woman was in the crosswalk, following the signal, when the crash occurred. The data does not mention any helmet or signaling issues for the pedestrian. The crash highlights the ongoing risk to people on foot when drivers ignore the rules meant to protect them.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4548708, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A motorscooter slammed into a reversing SUV on Dean Street. The rider, a 32-year-old woman, was thrown from her seat. Her head struck the pavement. She died at the scene. A six-year-old passenger suffered bruises. Unsafe speed and backing errors led to tragedy.

A deadly crash unfolded on Dean Street when a motorscooter collided with the rear of a backing SUV. According to the police report, 'A motorscooter slammed into the rear of a backing SUV. The rider, 32, flew from the seat. No helmet. Head struck pavement. She died there.' The 32-year-old woman driving the motorscooter was killed. A six-year-old passenger on the scooter was ejected and suffered bruises. The SUV was reversing at the time of impact. Police listed 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Backing Unsafely' as contributing factors. The report notes the rider was not wearing a helmet, but only after citing driver errors. No blame is placed on the victims.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4545937, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 61-year-old man rode his e-bike up Caton Avenue. He hit a parked Kia. Metal bent. The bike stopped. He died there. Another cyclist, 42, was hurt. The street stayed silent. The crash left pain and questions.

A 61-year-old man riding an e-bike on Caton Avenue near East 4th Street in Brooklyn struck the side of a parked Kia SUV. According to the police report, 'A 61-year-old man on an e-bike struck the side of a parked Kia. Metal folded. The bike stopped. He did not rise.' The e-bike rider suffered fatal injuries. Another bicyclist, age 42, was partially ejected and sustained a neck injury but survived. The Kia was parked at the time of the crash. No driver errors or contributing factors were listed in the police data. The report notes that neither cyclist was using safety equipment, but no helmet or signaling issues were cited as contributing factors. The crash left one dead and another injured, with the street holding its breath.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4543764, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Senator Zellnor Myrie told a city panel how NYPD officers used bikes as weapons during a protest. He described tires on his back, threats of pepper spray, and trauma that lingers. The Civilian Complaint Review Board found the officer abused his authority.

On June 30, 2022, State Senator Zellnor Myrie testified at an NYPD disciplinary hearing for Officer Michael Kovalik, a member of the Strategic Response Group. The hearing followed a Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) investigation, which found Kovalik abused his authority by threatening Myrie and others with pepper spray during a protest on May 29, 2020. The matter centered on 'excessive use of force with department-issued bikes' and the officer's actions at a protest outside Barclays Center after George Floyd's murder. Myrie, detained with zip ties, said, 'I felt what felt like bike tires on my back and on my arms.' He described lasting trauma from the incident. The CCRB prosecutor, Andre Applewhite, argued video evidence confirmed the threats. Myrie and another lawmaker have filed a federal lawsuit against the NYPD. The case highlights the dangers faced by peaceful protesters and the use of police bicycles as tools of force.

• Brooklyn Pol Tears Up Describing Brutal Treatment at Hands (and Bikes) of Cops, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-06-30

A BMW turned left on Ralph Avenue. A 70-year-old cyclist rode straight. Metal hit flesh. The man flew, landed hard. Blood pooled from his head. The street fell silent. He lay semiconscious, bleeding, helmetless.

A 70-year-old man riding a bicycle northbound on Ralph Avenue near Dean Street was struck by a BMW sedan making a left turn. According to the police report, the cyclist was ejected and suffered a severe head injury, bleeding heavily and left semiconscious. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The sedan's front end was damaged in the impact. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the contributing factor. No other injuries were reported. The crash left the street silent, marked by blood and twisted metal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4544877, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man crossed Carroll Street against the light. An e-bike hit him. His head split open. Blood ran. He stayed awake. The rider did not stop. The bike rolled on. The man did not.

A 32-year-old man was struck by an e-bike while crossing Carroll Street. According to the police report, the man stepped into the street against the signal. The e-bike, operated by a 39-year-old woman, hit him. The man suffered a severe head injury and heavy bleeding but remained conscious. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The e-bike rider did not stop after the crash. No other driver errors or equipment issues were cited in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4542890, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A moped struck a bike’s rear on Maple Street. The girl riding pillion took the blow. Blood marked her face. She stayed conscious. The crash left her with severe cuts. Unsafe speed and failure to yield fueled the impact.

A moped crashed into the rear of a bicycle at Maple Street and Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. The impact injured an 18-year-old female passenger riding on the back of the bike. According to the police report, 'A moped slammed into a bike’s rear. The girl on the back seat took the hit in silence. Blood traced her face.' She suffered severe lacerations to her face but remained conscious. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both the moped and bike drivers were male and did not report injuries. The cyclist was wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but the crash was driven by driver errors: unsafe speed and disregard for traffic control.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4539242, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan turned right on Bedford Avenue. An e-scooter kept straight. The car rolled over the rider’s back. He stayed conscious, helmet on, pain sharp. Both drivers looked away. Distraction ruled the street. Metal cracked. Flesh bore the cost.

A sedan and an e-scooter collided on Bedford Avenue. The sedan turned right while the e-scooter continued straight. The e-scooter rider, a 32-year-old man, suffered crush injuries to his back but remained conscious. According to the police report, 'Both drivers looked away.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor for both operators. The e-scooter rider wore a helmet, as noted in the data. No other injuries were reported. The sedan showed no damage. The crash underscores the danger when drivers fail to pay attention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4532521, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan veered south on Nostrand Avenue. The car’s right front slammed into a 49-year-old man walking with traffic. His leg split open. He stayed conscious. The driver failed to see, failed to yield, failed to stop.

A sedan traveling south on Nostrand Avenue struck a 49-year-old man who was walking along the roadway with traffic. According to the police report, the sedan changed lanes and its right front hit the pedestrian, causing severe lacerations to his leg. The man remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The driver did not see the pedestrian and did not stop in time. The impact tore flesh and left the victim with serious injuries. No other vehicles or persons were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4528807, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Steel crashed on Washington Avenue. Two men, alone in their cars, slammed nose to tail. Both drivers stunned, necks wrenched, pain sharp and sudden. Distraction behind the wheel left them broken and silent in the Brooklyn dark.

Two sedans collided near 971 Washington Avenue in Brooklyn. Both drivers, a 24-year-old and a 48-year-old, suffered neck injuries and shock. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was a contributing factor. Both vehicles were traveling straight when the crash occurred, with one sedan striking the other from behind. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary cause. Both drivers were alone and wore lap belts. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The impact left both men injured, their silence broken by pain. The crash underscores the danger of distraction behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4518809, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A pickup smashed through parked cars in Brooklyn. Metal twisted. Glass shattered. The driver, bleeding from the head, sat conscious. Alcohol was involved. The street bore the scars. The night stayed silent. No mercy. Only wreckage.

A pickup truck crashed into several parked cars near East 51st Street and Lenox Road in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A pickup tore through parked cars. The driver, 50, sat conscious, head bleeding, no belt. The truck’s front was crushed. Alcohol was present.' The report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor. The 50-year-old male driver of the pickup suffered a severe head injury. Other occupants in the involved vehicles were not reported injured. The data does not list any helmet or signal issues as contributing factors. The crash left metal twisted and glass shattered, marking another night of violence on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4517631, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Chevy SUV rolled west on Eastern Parkway. Six inside. A 53-year-old man stepped into the crosswalk. The bumper struck. He fell. He died there. The driver was distracted. The street stayed silent.

A 53-year-old man was killed while crossing Eastern Parkway when a westbound Chevy SUV struck him in the crosswalk. According to the police report, 'A Chevy SUV rolled west. A man, 53, stepped into the crosswalk. The bumper hit. He fell. Six sat inside the car. None reached him. The street held his last breath.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The driver, a 33-year-old man, was licensed and traveling straight ahead. No injuries were reported among the six occupants of the SUV. The impact occurred at the left front bumper. No other contributing factors were cited.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4517159, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15