Ten Dead, No Answers: Harlem Streets Still Bleed

May 17 - A van turned left at unsafe speed. The driver struck a man on an e-scooter. The rider suffered head injuries. Steel met flesh. The street stayed silent.

A refrigerated van making a left turn on West 145th Street collided with a 39-year-old man riding an e-scooter. The e-scooter rider suffered head injuries and crush wounds. According to the police report, 'Unsafe Speed' was listed as a contributing factor. The van’s left front bumper struck the rider. The report does not list any errors by the e-scooter operator. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4813549 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

May 10 - SUV hit a 73-year-old man crossing West 135th. The impact killed him. Head injury. Police cite pedestrian confusion. Night, street, blood on the asphalt.

A 73-year-old man was killed when a station wagon/SUV struck him at the intersection of West 135th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the pedestrian was crossing with no signal or crosswalk when the SUV, traveling east, hit him with its right front bumper. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The pedestrian suffered a fatal head injury and was semiconscious at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The police report does not list any driver errors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812753 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Mar 8 - A woman on an e-bike struck in the face by a Jeep at Amsterdam and 108th. Blood on asphalt, city silent. The SUV showed no damage. The cyclist suffered crushing facial injuries in the early morning dark.

A crash at the corner of West 108th Street and Amsterdam Avenue left a 39-year-old woman riding an e-bike with severe facial injuries, according to the police report. The collision occurred at 2:54 a.m. Both the Jeep SUV and the e-bike were traveling north. The report states the cyclist was 'crushed in the face,' her blood spreading on the asphalt, while the Jeep showed 'no damage.' Police cited 'Following Too Closely' as a contributing factor on the part of the SUV driver. The report also lists 'Other Vehicular' as a contributing factor. The cyclist was not ejected. The police report does not mention any cyclist behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the SUV driver’s failure to maintain a safe distance, resulting in devastating injuries to the vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4799968 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Mar 6 - A stolen minivan tore through Harlem. The driver ran from police. He struck Devon Hughley on a scooter. Hughley died at Harlem Hospital. The driver fled. Police used facial recognition. They arrested Enesin Delarosa. Grief lingers. Memorials remain.

According to the NY Daily News (2025-03-06), Enesin Delarosa, 26, was arrested for fatally striking Devon Hughley, 45, while fleeing an NYPD car stop in Harlem on November 2. The article reports Delarosa was driving a stolen minivan and "allegedly hit Hughley near W.155th St. and St. Nicholas Ave. while fleeing a traffic stop." Delarosa faces charges of manslaughter, leaving the scene, fleeing police, and possession of stolen property. The crash highlights the lethal risk of high-speed police pursuits and the dangers posed by stolen vehicles in dense urban areas. Memorial posters for Hughley remain in his building. The article quotes Hughley's sister, Yvette Palmer: "the arrest brought some peace."

• Scooter Rider Killed Fleeing Traffic Stop, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-06

Jan 29 - A city bus struck a 59-year-old man on an e-bike at Lenox Avenue and West 138th Street. His head was crushed. He died there, unconscious, in the dark, while the city slept. The street claimed another life.

A 59-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed when a northbound bus struck him at Lenox Avenue and West 138th Street in Manhattan, according to the police report. The report states, 'A 59-year-old man on an e-bike was struck by a northbound bus. His head was crushed. He died there, unconscious, in the dark, as the city slept around him.' The bus and e-bike were both reported as going straight ahead before the crash. The police report lists contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are specified in the data, but the fatal impact between the bus and the vulnerable cyclist resulted in a deadly head injury. The e-bike rider was not using any safety equipment, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the absence of specified driver errors. The crash took place just after midnight, underscoring the ongoing danger faced by cyclists on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4789910 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Jan 26 - A 53-year-old man crossed Harlem River Drive before dawn. An unlicensed SUV driver struck him with the left front bumper. The man died at the scene, his body broken beneath the gray sky. No crosswalk. No signal. Just impact.

According to the police report, a 53-year-old man was crossing Harlem River Drive early in the morning when a southbound SUV struck him with its left front bumper. The pedestrian was not in a crosswalk or at a signal. The report states the driver was unlicensed, operating a 2019 Nissan SUV registered in Connecticut. The impact caused fatal crush injuries, and the man died at the scene. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The narrative details the pedestrian's location as 'not at intersection' and 'crossing, no signal or crosswalk,' but does not cite these as contributing factors. The focus remains on the unlicensed status of the driver and the fatal outcome on a major city roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4788419 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Dec 23 - A police car crossed the line. Metal struck flesh. Samuel Williams, riding his dirt bike, was thrown and killed. Body cam footage shows the officer’s move. Another NYPD car tried the same. The city sent Williams’ family a bill.

NY Daily News (2024-12-23) reports that NYPD body camera footage shows an officer veering into the path of Samuel Williams, a 36-year-old dirt bike rider, during a pursuit on the University Heights Bridge. Williams was struck, thrown, and died from his injuries. The article states, “An officer pursuing dirt bikers suddenly crossed the double yellow line into Williams' path, causing a collision.” Another NYPD vehicle attempted a similar maneuver. The family’s attorney called it a “deadly maneuver” for a minor violation. The city later billed Williams’ family for police vehicle damages. The NYPD has not commented, citing litigation. The case raises questions about police pursuit tactics and accountability.

• NYPD Officer Veers Into Dirt Biker’s Path, NY Daily News, Published 2024-12-23

Dec 13 - Four vehicles collide at midnight on W 134th and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd. Steel twists, glass shatters. Three men, belted in, suffer crushed necks and torn flesh. Sirens wail as blood pools on cold asphalt, the city’s silence shattered by chaos.

According to the police report, a violent multi-vehicle collision occurred at midnight at the intersection of W 134th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd in Manhattan. Four vehicles—a Volvo, Toyota, Mini, and NYC EMS truck—were all traveling straight ahead before impact. Three men driving sedans sustained serious crush injuries to the neck and abdomen. The report explicitly cites 'Alcohol Involvement' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors for two of the drivers. The narrative describes the aftermath: 'Three men, belted in, crushed and bleeding. One groans through torn flesh. Alcohol on breath.' No pedestrian involvement or victim behavior was listed as a contributing factor. The crash centers on driver errors and systemic danger, with alcohol and distraction fueling the midnight wreck.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4784020 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Nov 3 - A 66-year-old man lay dying on W 135th Street, crushed by a westbound Toyota. His head shattered, organs ruptured. The streetlights glared down as life left his body. The car rolled on, the city’s danger exposed again.

According to the police report, a 66-year-old man was struck and killed by a westbound Toyota at the corner of W 135th Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan. The report states the pedestrian was 'outside the crosswalk' when the collision occurred. The impact crushed his head and ruptured his organs. He died at the scene, under the streetlights. The vehicle was described as a 'TOYT -CAR/SUV' traveling straight ahead. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No evidence in the report points to any driver evasive action or external hazard. The focus remains on the lethal interaction between the moving vehicle and the vulnerable pedestrian, underscoring the persistent systemic danger at city intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769074 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Nov 2 - An SUV slammed head-on into an e-bike on W 155th Street. The rider flew from his bike, struck the pavement, and died from head trauma. Police cite driver distraction. The crash left a man lifeless on Manhattan asphalt.

According to the police report, an SUV collided head-on with an e-bike at W 155th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in Manhattan. The SUV struck the e-bike directly, throwing the male rider from his bike. The report states the victim suffered fatal head trauma and was found with no pulse. The narrative specifies, 'The driver was distracted.' The only contributing factor listed is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The e-bike rider was ejected and killed on impact. The police report notes the rider was not wearing a helmet, but this detail is not cited as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction, with the SUV's actions directly leading to the cyclist's death.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768346 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Oct 27 - A sedan crashed into a parked Buick at E 125th and Madison. The Buick’s bumper buckled. Inside, a 33-year-old man sat motionless, unbelted. No screech, no warning, just sudden death in the morning hush.

According to the police report, a sedan collided with a parked Buick at the corner of E 125th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan at 10:15 a.m. The impact crushed the Buick’s left rear bumper. Inside the parked car, a 33-year-old man was found unresponsive and died at the scene. The report notes there were no skid marks and no signs of evasive action before the crash. The deceased was not wearing a seatbelt, as documented in the report, but no contributing factors or driver errors were specified by police. The parked Buick was stationary at the time of the crash. The narrative describes the crash as sudden and silent, with no struggle or attempt to avoid impact. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768137 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Oct 24 - A Toyota SUV traveling south on Manhattan Avenue struck a 13-year-old girl in the head with its left front bumper. She died on the pavement, her life ended in an instant beneath the autumn sun.

According to the police report, a 13-year-old girl was killed when a southbound Toyota SUV struck her on Manhattan Avenue near Cathedral Parkway. The report states the SUV's left front bumper hit the girl's head as she crossed the street. The incident occurred at 13:49, and the girl died at the scene. The police narrative specifies she 'stepped into the street without a signal.' The contributing factor listed in the report is 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion.' The data does not cite any driver-specific errors or violations, but the impact location and vehicle movement are clearly documented. The report notes the girl was crossing at an intersection but not in a crosswalk or with a signal, and lists her action as 'Crossing, No Signal, or Crosswalk.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766233 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Oct 21 - A man lay torn and bleeding on Manhattan Avenue, struck at the intersection. No car stopped. Blood pooled as lights stayed green. Sirens came late. The driver vanished, leaving the victim semiconscious on the pavement.

According to the police report, a 34-year-old man was struck at the intersection of Manhattan Avenue. The narrative states, 'Face torn, blood pooling. Semiconscious on the pavement. No car stopped. No name given. The lights stayed green. Sirens came late.' The pedestrian suffered severe bleeding and facial injuries and was left semiconscious. The report does not identify the vehicle or driver, but makes clear that the driver failed to remain at the scene, constituting a hit-and-run. No contributing factors are listed for the pedestrian. The report centers on the immediate, violent impact and the absence of any driver accountability.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4765473 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Sep 28 - An SUV struck a bike near West 141st. Two men thrown. Legs torn, blood on blacktop. The bike twisted, SUV front crushed. Both riders conscious. One was a child. Alcohol played its part. The city’s danger revealed in steel and flesh.

According to the police report, a Station Wagon/SUV traveling north on Saint Nicholas Avenue near West 141st Street collided with a bike, resulting in severe injuries to two male bicyclists, one of whom was a child. Both victims suffered severe lacerations to their legs and remained conscious at the scene. The report states, 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor in the crash. The SUV’s front end was crushed, and the bike was demolished. The narrative describes the SUV as having 'plowed into a bike,' with both riders thrown and blood slicking the asphalt. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The collision underscores the lethal consequences when drivers operate vehicles under the influence, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to catastrophic harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4761533 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Sep 27 - Steel struck flesh on East 125th. A minicycle, speeding, crashed head-on into an ambulance mid-turn. The 22-year-old rider, helmeted, was crushed but conscious. Signals ignored. The scooter’s front folded. The street echoed with the cost of haste.

A violent collision unfolded at East 125th Street and 3rd Avenue in Manhattan when, according to the police report, a minicycle 'slammed head-on into an ambulance mid-turn.' The crash left the 22-year-old minicycle rider with crush injuries across his entire body, though he remained conscious at the scene. The report cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors, underscoring the systemic dangers present when signals are ignored and speed exceeds safe limits. The minicycle, traveling straight, collided with the ambulance as it made a left turn. The police report notes that the rider was wearing a helmet at the time of impact. The scooter’s front end was described as folding 'like paper,' a stark testament to the force involved when traffic controls fail to protect vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4759833 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Sep 21 - A lone BMW tore north on West 125th, driver drunk and belted. Metal screamed. Concrete took the blow. The man behind the wheel wore the crash on his face. Night swallowed the rest. No passengers. No mercy.

A single-vehicle crash unfolded on West 125th Street near 12th Avenue when a 2015 BMW, traveling northbound, struck with force in the early morning darkness. According to the police report, the 38-year-old male driver was the only occupant. He suffered facial crush injuries and was described as incoherent at the scene. The report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors, highlighting clear driver errors. The sedan's left front bumper absorbed the impact, and no other vehicles or road users were involved. The narrative underscores the severity of the collision and the role of impaired driving. No mention is made of any victim behaviors contributing to the crash; the focus remains on the driver's actions and the systemic danger posed by driving under the influence.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4758247 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Aug 31 - A cyclist crashed into the rear of a parked sedan on Amsterdam Avenue. Blood streaked his face. He stayed upright, then slumped. The car never moved. The street was silent except for the sound of breathing.

According to the police report, a 29-year-old man riding a bike struck the rear of a parked sedan near 1785 Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan at 1:23 a.m. The sedan, registered in New Jersey, was stationary and unoccupied at the time of the crash. The report notes the cyclist suffered severe bleeding to his face but remained conscious. The narrative states, 'He stayed upright, then slumped. The car never moved.' The police report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as the primary contributing factor. No driver errors or vehicle movement were cited in this incident. The focus remains on the collision's impact and the resulting injury to the cyclist.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752337 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Aug 29 - A teenage boy riding east on West 125th struck broken pavement and was hurled headfirst onto concrete. Blood pooled. He lay semiconscious, bleeding from the head. Sirens wailed. The city’s fractured streets claimed another young rider.

According to the police report, a 15-year-old boy riding a bike eastbound on West 125th Street in Harlem struck defective pavement. The report states the cyclist was ejected and landed headfirst, suffering severe bleeding and a head injury. He was found semiconscious, blood pooling on the concrete. The only listed contributing factors are 'Pavement Defective' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction,' underscoring the role of hazardous street conditions and lack of focus. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is not cited as a contributing factor. The crash highlights the dangers posed by neglected infrastructure and the systemic risks faced by vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4751696 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Aug 29 - A taxi struck a cyclist on his left side at West 133rd and Lenox Avenue. The rider crashed hard, blood pooling at his waist. Four passengers watched silently. The bike lay twisted. The cyclist suffered severe abdominal injuries.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling north on Lenox Avenue struck a cyclist on the left side at West 133rd Street. The impact caused the cyclist to hit the pavement forcefully, resulting in severe lacerations to his abdomen and pelvis. The report notes blood pooling at the cyclist's waist and a twisted bike, while four passengers inside the taxi witnessed the aftermath. The police identified 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. No driver errors such as 'Failure to Yield' were cited. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but helmet use was not listed as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the collision impact and the serious injuries sustained by the vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4755223 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Aug 24 - A man’s skull split on Harlem asphalt before dawn. Blood pooled beneath the streetlight. The city silent, the crosswalk absent. He lay in shock, wounded and alone, the impact echoing through empty streets.

A 63-year-old man was struck head-on by a vehicle on West 145th Street near Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan at 4:10 a.m., according to the police report. The victim suffered severe head injuries and was found semiconscious, lying on the cold asphalt with blood pooling beneath a flickering streetlight. The crash occurred away from any intersection or crosswalk, with the vehicle’s center front end striking the pedestrian directly. The police report does not list any driver errors or contributing factors, nor does it indicate any victim behaviors as factors. The absence of safe crossing infrastructure and the direct collision highlight systemic dangers faced by pedestrians in this area.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750337 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17