Major Deegan, Minor Consequences: Blood on the Streets, Silence in City Hall

A motorscooter, racing down Edgecombe, flipped and tore through a boy’s skull. Blood pooled. The rider half-flung, a baby silent in the wreck. Speed wrote pain in flesh and concrete. The avenue held its breath.

A motorscooter traveling at unsafe speed overturned on Edgecombe Avenue near West 165th Street, according to the police report. The crash left a 9-year-old boy, a pedestrian, with severe head lacerations and in shock. The report states, 'A motorscooter, moving too fast, flipped. A 9-year-old boy struck, head bleeding. Rider half-thrown, bleeding. A baby inside the wreck, silent.' The only contributing factor listed is 'Unsafe Speed.' The data shows the motorscooter was going straight ahead before losing control and overturning, with the center front end damaged. The report does not cite any pedestrian behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the driver’s unsafe speed, which led directly to the collision and injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809048, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

On Broadway, an SUV plowed into a young woman on an e-bike. She lay bleeding from the head, incoherent, helmetless. The SUV’s front left crumpled. The driver and passenger inside the SUV were unhurt. Metal and flesh collided, leaving one body broken.

According to the police report, a 63-year-old driver operating a station wagon/SUV struck a 20-year-old woman riding an e-bike on Broadway near West 181st Street in Manhattan at 8:38 p.m. The report states the SUV's front left quarter panel was damaged, while the e-bike was overturned. The bicyclist suffered severe head bleeding and was described as incoherent at the scene. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors. The SUV driver and a 79-year-old passenger were both uninjured, belted inside the vehicle. The report notes the e-bike rider was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after citing driver errors. The impact of driver inattention and close following left the vulnerable road user gravely hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806217, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A stolen car slammed into a Manhattan building. Flames followed. The driver, Francisco Guzman Parra, died on impact. His family waited days for answers. Police actions now face scrutiny. The city counts another life lost to speed and steel.

The New York Times (April 12, 2025) reports on the death of Francisco Guzman Parra after a stolen Honda CRV crashed into a building in Inwood, Manhattan. The crash followed a police chase; two officers involved were suspended pending investigation. The article notes, "The police are investigating whether the officers left the scene without reporting the crash." The medical examiner found Guzman Parra died from blunt impact and thermal injuries. The NYPD force investigation unit and state attorney general are reviewing the incident. The police have not disclosed why the chase began or details about the pursuit. The case highlights ongoing questions about police pursuit policies and the dangers that follow high-speed chases through city streets.

• Police Chase Ends Inwood Crash Death, The New York Times, Published 2025-04-12

A stolen SUV crashed and burned at Dyckman Street. Two NYPD officers chased, then left. The driver died in flames. The cops returned to the Bronx, silent. Cameras caught their exit. The city investigates. Policy on police pursuits faces new scrutiny.

According to NY Daily News (April 3, 2025), two NYPD officers from the 50th Precinct pursued a stolen Honda CR-V into Manhattan. The driver crashed at Dyckman Street and Henry Hudson Parkway. The car burst into flames. The officers left the scene and did not report the crash, later returning to their precinct and finishing their shift. Surveillance footage captured their patrol car leaving. Both officers have been suspended. The article notes, 'Both officers have been suspended as the NYPD's Force Investigation Division investigates their actions.' The crash comes after NYPD restricted police pursuits, limiting them to cases involving felonies or violent misdemeanors. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the department now relies on 'advanced tools of modern-day policing' instead of risky chases. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about the dangers of police pursuits and the need for strict adherence to new policies.

• Officers Flee Scene After Fatal Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-03

A Ford van turned right onto University Avenue. Its bumper struck a 65-year-old man crossing with the signal. He died on the pavement, body broken. The van showed no damage. The street swallowed another life.

According to the police report, a Ford van made a right turn at University Avenue and West Kingsbridge Road in the Bronx. The van's right front bumper struck a 65-year-old man who was crossing the intersection with the pedestrian signal. The report states the man suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. The van sustained no damage. Police cite 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. The victim's action—'Crossing With Signal'—is noted in the report, but only after the driver's failure to yield. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when drivers fail to respect pedestrian priority at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4801942, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Mercedes slammed into Darryl Mathis Jr.’s stalled car on the Major Deegan. Mathis called for help. The driver fled. Paramedics rushed Mathis to the hospital. He died. The hit-and-run driver remains at large. The highway stayed deadly, silent.

NY Daily News reported on March 24, 2025, that Darryl Mathis Jr. was killed after his disabled car was rear-ended on the Major Deegan Expressway. Mathis, stranded after a battery failure, called friends for help. As he waited, a Mercedes-Benz struck his vehicle from behind. According to the article, 'He called to get a jump, and after that, he got hit from behind, a hit-and-run.' The Mercedes driver fled the scene and has not been caught. Mathis was transported to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died. The crash highlights the lethal risk faced by stranded motorists and the ongoing danger of hit-and-run drivers on city highways.

• Hit-And-Run Kills Stranded Bronx Motorist, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-24

A Mercedes plowed into a Ford on the Major Deegan Expressway. The Ford’s driver died at the wheel, his body broken by the impact. Darkness lingered. Police cite driver inattention. The road bore witness to another life lost to distraction.

According to the police report, a Mercedes sedan traveling southbound on the Major Deegan Expressway struck the rear of a 2009 Ford sedan at 3:47 a.m. The Ford’s driver, a 39-year-old man, died at the scene. The report states the Mercedes 'crushed the rear' of the Ford, leaving the victim dead at the wheel with injuries to his entire body. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor in the collision. The Ford was hit in the right rear bumper by the Mercedes’s left front bumper, consistent with a rear-end impact. The victim was unbelted, but the police report does not cite this as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the deadly consequences of driver distraction, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800421, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A black Mercedes slammed into a Ford on the Major Deegan. Both cars spun out. The Mercedes driver ran. The Ford driver died at St. Barnabas. Police closed the highway for hours. No arrests. The city counts another loss.

NY Daily News reported on March 22, 2025, that a 39-year-old driver was killed in a hit-and-run crash on the Major Deegan Expressway near West Fordham Road in the Bronx. According to police, a black Mercedes-Benz rear-ended the victim’s Ford Crown Victoria around 3:45 a.m., causing both vehicles to lose control and crash. The Mercedes driver fled the scene on foot. The article states, 'EMS rushed the victim to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died.' The southbound lanes were closed for several hours during the investigation. No arrests have been made. The incident highlights the dangers of high-speed impacts and the ongoing problem of drivers fleeing crash scenes.

• Bronx Highway Hit-And-Run Kills Driver, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-22

A BMW SUV struck a 64-year-old man crossing Broadway. The left bumper ripped his face open. He lay bleeding on the pavement, conscious, far from any crosswalk. The streetlights blinked. The city moved on. The wound marked the night.

A 64-year-old man was struck and severely injured by a BMW SUV near 5203 Broadway in the Bronx, according to the police report. The incident occurred at 21:58, with the SUV’s left front bumper tearing into the pedestrian’s face. The report states the man was crossing against the signal and was not at an intersection when the collision happened. The narrative describes him lying conscious and bleeding on the pavement, far from any crosswalk, as the streetlights blinked overhead. According to the police report, the vehicle was traveling straight ahead when the impact occurred. The contributing factors for both the driver and the pedestrian are listed as 'Unspecified.' The focus remains on the devastating impact and the systemic danger present on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4802535, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Steel screamed on Henry Hudson Parkway. Two sedans, too fast, turned right and collided. Two young men slumped inside, heads bleeding, semiconscious. The echo of unsafe speed lingered in the wreckage, leaving blood and silence behind.

Two sedans collided on Henry Hudson Parkway in the early morning hours, leaving two 22-year-old men injured and semiconscious, both suffering severe head wounds. According to the police report, both vehicles were 'making right turn' when they crashed. The report explicitly cites 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. The narrative describes the scene: 'Steel kissed steel. The Honda's side split. The BMW's nose crushed. Two young men, both 22, slumped inside, heads bleeding. Semiconscious. Silent. The speed still echoed in the wreckage.' The data shows both drivers were licensed and neither occupant was ejected. The focus remains on driver actions—unsafe speed and improper turning—as the root causes of this violent crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798349, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

On Broadway near West 190th, a parked sedan’s door swung wide. A cyclist, heading south, struck it head-on. His arm split open, blood running to the gutter. Police cite driver distraction. Metal, motion, pain—no warning, no helmet, just impact.

A cyclist suffered a severe arm injury when he collided head-on with a parked sedan’s door on Broadway near West 190th, according to the police report. The crash occurred as the sedan’s right side door was opened directly into the cyclist’s path. The report lists 'Outside Car Distraction' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The cyclist, a 25-year-old man, was conscious but bleeding heavily from his arm. The police report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after the driver’s errors. The sedan was stationary, and its right rear quarter panel was damaged. The incident underscores the danger posed when drivers or passengers open doors without checking for oncoming cyclists, as detailed in the police narrative: 'No warning. Just metal, motion, and the sound of pain on pavement.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793934, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 77-year-old woman walking along Harlem River Drive was crushed by a southbound SUV. The driver left her unconscious on the asphalt and did not stop. The city’s traffic violence spares no one, not even the oldest among us.

A 77-year-old woman was struck and severely injured by a southbound SUV on Harlem River Drive, according to the police report. The narrative states the woman was 'walking with traffic' when the vehicle's left front bumper 'crushed her body.' She was left unconscious on the roadway with injuries to her entire body. The driver did not remain at the scene. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' offering no further explanation for the driver’s actions. The vehicle involved was a 2024 SUV, registered in New York, traveling straight ahead at the time of the crash. The report makes no mention of any victim behavior contributing to the collision. This incident highlights the ongoing danger faced by pedestrians from drivers who fail to remain at the scene after a crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792174, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan tore down W 204th Street, the driver distracted. Metal shrieked as it struck a parked truck. The driver’s head hit hard. Blood pooled. He was conscious, but crushed and silent. Distraction behind the wheel left only pain and wreckage.

According to the police report, a 69-year-old man drove his sedan southbound on W 204th Street near 9th Avenue and crashed straight into a parked truck. The report states the driver was not wearing a seatbelt and suffered head injuries and crush injuries, though he remained conscious at the scene. The police report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The parked truck was unoccupied at the time. The impact crumpled metal and left the sedan’s front end destroyed. No other injuries were reported. The report makes clear that distraction behind the wheel was the direct cause of this violent collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4782808, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man on a bike, helmeted, struck hard by a distracted driver on Broadway. He lay unconscious, blood on his face, as the car’s front quarter crumpled. The cold street carried the violence forward. The city did not yield.

A 38-year-old man riding a bike southbound on Broadway at West 220th Street was struck by a vehicle, according to the police report. The cyclist, who wore a helmet, was left unconscious with severe facial lacerations. The report states the crash occurred when a driver, traveling straight ahead, collided with the cyclist, crumpling the car’s right front quarter panel. Police explicitly cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The narrative describes the aftermath: the cyclist lying in the cold, bloodied and unmoving, while the street remained unchanged. No contributing factors are attributed to the cyclist’s behavior. The crash highlights the ongoing systemic danger faced by vulnerable road users when drivers fail to pay attention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792369, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A parked pickup truck struck a 56-year-old cyclist on W Tremont Avenue. The man flew, helmet cracked, hand severed. Blood pooled on the street. The truck never moved, but the cyclist’s life changed in an instant.

According to the police report, a 56-year-old man was riding his bicycle southbound on W Tremont Avenue at University Avenue in the Bronx when a parked pickup truck struck him. The narrative states, 'A 56-year-old man pedaled south. A parked pickup struck. He flew. His helmet cracked. His hand did not follow. Blood on the street. The truck never moved. But his life did.' The cyclist suffered an amputation injury to his hand and was ejected from his bike. The report lists the pickup truck as parked at the time of the crash, with the point of impact and vehicle damage noted at the center front end. The cyclist was wearing a helmet, which cracked on impact. Contributing factors are listed as 'Unspecified.' The police report does not cite any victim behavior as contributing to the crash. The focus remains on the parked vehicle’s involvement and the catastrophic outcome for the cyclist.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774978, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 24-year-old woman crossed Corlear Avenue with the signal. An SUV turned left, its bumper smashing her head. She fell. Blood pooled. She did not move. The street stayed quiet. The SUV showed no damage. The city’s silence deepened.

A 24-year-old woman was struck while crossing Corlear Avenue at West 230th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, she was crossing with the signal when a 2022 SUV, driven by a licensed driver, made a left turn and hit her with the left front bumper. The impact caused head injuries and apparent death at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. The narrative notes, 'The bumper struck her head. She fell. Blood pooled. She did not move.' The SUV sustained no visible damage. The victim’s action—crossing with the signal—is documented in the report, but the focus remains on the driver’s failure to yield. The crash unfolded in a moment, leaving the street quiet and the danger of left turns unmitigated.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774091, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A BMW SUV reversed off Broadway, striking three pedestrians—a man, another man, and an infant girl. Abdomen crushed. Pelvis shattered. All conscious. All broken. The SUV showed no damage. The street stayed quiet. Metal met flesh. Lives changed.

According to the police report, a BMW SUV backed into three pedestrians off the roadway near 5716 Broadway in the Bronx at 11:35 p.m. The victims—a 43-year-old man, a 39-year-old man, and an infant girl—suffered severe crush injuries to their abdomens and pelvises. All three were conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Backing Unsafely' as contributing factors. The pedestrians were not in the roadway at the time of the crash. The SUV showed no visible damage. The police report makes no mention of any victim behavior contributing to the crash. The impact left bodies broken while the vehicle remained unscathed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4771956, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A moped sped southwest on W 225 St, flipped at Broadway. An 18-year-old passenger was ejected, his leg caught fire. He wore a helmet and remained conscious. The crash was caused by unsafe speed, leaving the passenger severely burned and the vehicle overturned.

According to the police report, a moped traveling southwest on W 225 St at Broadway overturned after moving at 'unsafe speed.' The report states, 'A moped tore southwest, too fast. It flipped. An 18-year-old passenger flew off. His leg caught fire.' The passenger, an 18-year-old, suffered severe burns to his lower leg and foot and was ejected from the vehicle. He was conscious at the scene and wore a helmet, as noted in the report. The driver, a 16-year-old male, was partially ejected and sustained bruises to his knee and lower leg. The police report explicitly cites 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. The crash left the moped overturned and the passenger injured, underscoring the deadly consequences of driver recklessness.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774092, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A moped overturned on Kingsbridge Avenue. The unlicensed rider, helmetless, was thrown to the pavement. Blood pooled in the dark. Sirens cut the silence. The rider lay semiconscious, head bleeding, as the street bore witness to another violent crash.

According to the police report, a 2023 JIAJU moped overturned on Kingsbridge Avenue near Naples Terrace in the Bronx. The sole occupant, a 35-year-old male, was driving southbound when the crash occurred. The report states the rider was unlicensed and wore no helmet. He was ejected from the moped, landed on the pavement, and suffered a severe head injury, described as 'head bleeding' and 'semiconscious.' The police narrative notes the crash ended in 'silence, sirens, and blood.' While the report lists the contributing factors as 'unspecified,' it explicitly documents the rider's lack of a license and helmet. No other vehicles or road users were involved, and no victim behaviors are cited as contributing factors after the driver errors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774089, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A parked Ford van on Jerome Avenue was struck with violent force. The front passenger, age 39, suffered a shattered shoulder. Metal screamed. Flesh gave. The lap belt held him. The street stayed silent after the impact.

According to the police report, a parked 2012 Ford van was struck hard on Jerome Avenue in mid-afternoon. The collision left the front passenger, a 39-year-old man, with severe crush injuries to his shoulder and upper arm. The report states the van was stationary ('Parked') when it was hit, and the impact targeted the right front quarter panel. The narrative describes the violence of the crash: 'The front passenger, 39, crushed in his seat. His shoulder shattered. The lap belt held. Metal screamed. Flesh gave.' No driver errors or contributing factors are listed in the police data. The focus remains on the devastating outcome for the passenger, who was restrained by a lap belt but still suffered grave injuries. The report does not cite any passenger actions as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766037, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14