Eighteen Dead, Thousands Hurt—Who Will Stop the Killing on District 59’s Streets?

Night on Vernon Boulevard. A woman on a bike hits an SUV’s side. She flies off, head bleeding, still conscious. Her wheel twists. The SUV’s door buckles. Darkness and confusion fill the street. The crash leaves scars and questions.

A 32-year-old woman riding north on Vernon Boulevard collided with the side of a station wagon/SUV near midnight. According to the police report, the cyclist was ejected from her bike and suffered a head injury with severe bleeding. She remained conscious at the scene. The report notes, 'View Obstructed/Limited' and 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as contributing factors. The SUV’s left side doors were crumpled by the impact, and the cyclist’s front wheel was twisted. The report also states the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after the listed contributing factors. The crash unfolded in darkness, with limited visibility and confusion playing a role.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4642535, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan sped through the corner of East 21st and 3rd. It struck a 23-year-old man on an e-bike. His head was crushed. Blood pooled on the street. The car did not stop. Alcohol fueled the crash. The cyclist died at the scene.

A 23-year-old man riding an e-bike was struck and killed by a speeding sedan at the corner of East 21st Street and 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A 23-year-old man on an e-bike was struck and killed by a speeding sedan. His head was crushed. Blood spread on the asphalt. The car kept moving. Alcohol was involved.' The crash involved a sedan traveling north and an e-bike stopped in traffic. The police report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The driver did not remain at the scene. The cyclist suffered fatal head injuries and died on the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4634861, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A cyclist slammed into a parked SUV on East 28th. Metal shrieked. He flew, hit the pavement, blood streaking his arm. His hand split open. He lay conscious, torn, in the sun. The street stood silent, marked by pain and steel.

A 38-year-old cyclist crashed into a parked SUV on East 28th Street near Third Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the collision occurred at 11:10 a.m. The cyclist was ejected from his bike and suffered severe lacerations to his arm and hand. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but this is mentioned only after the driver error. The SUV was parked at the time of the crash. No injuries were reported for the SUV occupant. The aftermath was blood, torn flesh, and twisted metal on a sunlit city street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4632017, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A car tore down Jackson Avenue. It hit a 58-year-old man crossing at 50th. The impact was head-on. He died on the street. The night was silent. The driver moved too fast. The man never rose.

A 58-year-old man was killed at the corner of Jackson Avenue and 50th Avenue. According to the police report, he was crossing the intersection when a car, traveling at unsafe speed, struck him head-on. The report states: "A car came fast, struck him head-on. He died there, alone on the asphalt." The contributing factor listed is "Unsafe Speed." The data shows the driver was going straight ahead and hit the pedestrian with the center front end of the vehicle. No other contributing factors are listed. The man suffered fatal head injuries. No information is provided about the driver or vehicle type.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4624213, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A bus struck an e-bike head-on near Jackson Avenue. The rider flew from his seat. His helmet landed on the street. His head struck hard. He died there. The lights blinked. The city moved on.

A bus collided head-on with an e-bike on Queens Boulevard near Jackson Avenue in Queens. The 43-year-old e-bike rider was ejected and killed. According to the police report, 'Traffic Control Disregarded' was listed as a contributing factor. The bus, traveling east, struck the e-bike, which was heading south. The rider's helmet came off in the crash. The report notes the rider suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. Other bus occupants were not seriously hurt. The crash underscores the deadly risk when drivers disregard traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4623702, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Honda SUV backed south on Astoria Boulevard. Steel met flesh. A 29-year-old woman walking was crushed in the leg. She stayed conscious. The driver backed unsafely. The street did not give.

A 29-year-old woman walking near 1-05 Astoria Boulevard in Queens was struck by a Honda SUV reversing southbound. According to the police report, the SUV backed unsafely, crushing her leg. The report states, “Backing Unsafely” was the contributing factor. The woman suffered crush injuries to her knee and lower leg but remained conscious. No damage was reported to the vehicle. The driver, a licensed 54-year-old man, was uninjured. The data lists no error or action by the pedestrian. This crash shows the danger when drivers reverse into shared space.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4617608, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Lexus reversed on East 21st Street. It struck an 80-year-old woman crossing with the light. Her leg shattered. Her skin burned. She stayed conscious. The car was untouched. The woman was not.

An 80-year-old woman was crossing East 21st Street near 2nd Avenue with the signal when a Lexus sedan backed into her. According to the police report, 'A Lexus backed into an 80-year-old woman crossing with the light. Her leg shattered. Her skin burned. She stayed awake through it. The car was fine. She was not.' The report lists 'Backing Unsafely' as the contributing factor. The pedestrian suffered severe injuries to her leg and burns but remained conscious. No damage was reported to the vehicle. The driver’s unsafe backing led directly to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4612935, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 51-year-old man rode his e-bike down Kent Avenue. He struck a parked trailer. His head hit hard. He wore a helmet. He was crushed and thrown. He died alone in the dark. The street stayed silent.

A 51-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed after colliding with a parked trailer on Kent Avenue. According to the police report, the man 'hit a parked trailer. He wore a helmet. His head struck hard. He was crushed, half-thrown from the seat. He died alone in the dark.' The report lists 'Other Vehicular' as a contributing factor. The e-bike rider was unlicensed and partially ejected from his seat, suffering fatal head and crush injuries. The trailer was parked at the time of the crash and had no occupants. The police report notes the rider wore a helmet, but the primary factors remain the collision and the parked trailer.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4612822, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Honda sedan struck a 74-year-old man on FDR Drive. The car’s right front bumper ripped open his head. He stayed conscious. Blood pooled on the highway. The crash left the road raw and silent.

A 74-year-old man was hit by a southbound Honda sedan while walking with traffic on FDR Drive. According to the police report, 'A 74-year-old man walked with traffic on the highway. A southbound Honda struck him with its right front bumper. He stayed conscious. His head was torn open. The cuts ran deep.' The pedestrian suffered severe lacerations to his head but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No specific driver errors are cited. No other injuries were reported among the car’s occupants. The impact and aftermath show the brutal risks pedestrians face on city highways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4607427, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.

• Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-10

A concrete mixer turned right on 24th Avenue. Its bumper struck a 62-year-old woman on her bike. She flew from the saddle. She died on the cold street. Heavy steel met flesh. The city’s streets took another life.

A 62-year-old woman riding a bicycle east on 24th Avenue in Queens was killed when a concrete mixer truck turned right and struck her with its front bumper. According to the police report, 'A concrete mixer turned right. A 62-year-old woman pedaled east. The truck’s bumper struck her head. She flew from the bike. No helmet. No chance. She died alone on the cold street.' The crash data lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors beyond the truck’s right turn. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this detail appears only after the sequence of impact. The collision underscores the deadly risk for cyclists sharing space with massive trucks on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4595961, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A cement truck driver turned right and struck a woman on a Citi Bike in Astoria. She died at the scene, less than a mile from home. This marks the fourth cyclist killed in the area in under three years. Streets remain deadly.

On January 5, 2023, a cement truck driver fatally struck 62-year-old Tamara Chuchi Kao as she rode a Citi Bike in Astoria, Queens. The driver turned right from 24th Avenue onto 29th Street, hitting Kao and killing her instantly. Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani called the crash 'absolutely heartbreaking,' noting Kao was the fourth cyclist killed in Astoria in 2.5 years. State Senator Kristen Gonzalez blamed 'poorly designed streets,' saying, 'traffic violence is the outcome of poorly designed streets and is a solvable problem.' The area has almost no protected bike lanes. In 2022, Community Board 1 saw 1,979 crashes, injuring 120 cyclists and 163 pedestrians. Politicians and residents demand safer streets, better enforcement, and an end to car dominance. The deadly toll continues.

• BREAKING: Cement Truck Driver Fatally Strikes Woman on Citi Bike in Astoria, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-05

A sedan struck a motorcycle head-on at 40th Avenue and 12th Street. The rider, unlicensed and helmetless, was thrown from his bike and died on the pavement. The crash left a mark under the gray Queens sky.

A sedan collided head-on with a motorcycle at the corner of 40th Avenue and 12th Street in Queens. The 37-year-old motorcycle rider was ejected and killed, suffering fatal head injuries. According to the police report, 'A sedan struck a motorcycle head-on. The unlicensed rider, 37, wore no helmet. He flew from the bike, landed headfirst on the pavement, and died beneath a gray Queens sky.' The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The sedan driver was licensed and traveling north; the motorcycle was heading east. The rider was unlicensed and wore no helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause cited is the sedan driver's failure to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4572051, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan blew through the light at East 25th and 1st. It struck a motorcycle head-on. The rider flew from the seat, hit the ground hard. Blood pooled. He lay semiconscious, head split open. The street fell silent. Steel and flesh, broken.

A sedan traveling west on East 25th Street collided head-on with a northbound motorcycle at the corner of 1st Avenue. According to the police report, 'A sedan ran the light. Head-on with a motorcycle. The rider, 34, flew from the seat. No helmet. Head bleeding. Semiconscious on the asphalt.' The crash left the motorcycle rider ejected and severely injured, suffering head trauma and severe bleeding. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver failed to obey the signal. The motorcycle rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause remains the sedan driver's disregard for traffic control.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4561688, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

StreetsPAC called for voters to oust State Sen. Kevin Parker. They backed Kaegan Mays-Williams for her push on protected bike lanes and bus network redesign. Parker ignored safety questions. StreetsPAC praised other candidates who fight for safer streets and transit.

On August 9, 2022, StreetsPAC, New York City's safe streets political action committee, issued an endorsement urging Central Brooklyn voters to retire State Sen. Kevin Parker. The group backed Kaegan Mays-Williams, citing her support for redesigning Brooklyn's bus network and expanding protected bike lanes. StreetsPAC Executive Director Eric McClure said, 'She supports redesigning Brooklyn's bus network to simplify routes and speed commutes.' Parker did not respond to StreetsPAC's request for information and has a record of negative incidents. Mays-Williams stressed the need for dependable public transit and safer cycling. StreetsPAC also highlighted the safety records of Andrew Gounardes, Angel Vasquez, Jabori Brisport, Rajiv Gowda, Christian Amato, and Kristen Gonzalez, noting their support for speed cameras, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and transit improvements. The endorsement signals a clear push for candidates who prioritize vulnerable road users.

• StreetsPAC to Central Brooklyn Voters: Retire State Sen. Kevin Parker Now!, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-08-09

A Porsche SUV hit a man on a Ninebot scooter at Vernon Boulevard and 44th Drive. The rider, unlicensed and helmetless, was ejected. His skull shattered. He died at 30. The scooter lay wrecked. The street stayed silent.

A deadly crash unfolded at Vernon Boulevard and 44th Drive in Queens. According to the police report, a Porsche SUV collided with a Ninebot e-scooter. The scooter rider, a 30-year-old man, was unlicensed and wore no helmet. He was ejected on impact, suffered fatal head injuries, and died at the scene. The SUV’s right front bumper struck the scooter’s right side. The report lists contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The scooter was demolished. No injuries were reported for the SUV occupants. The police report offers no further details on driver actions or errors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4549374, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Honda sedan sat parked on 34th Avenue. Its front left was crushed. Inside, a 37-year-old woman lay dead. No other car. No skid marks. Just a body, a wrecked shell, and the silence of late morning in Queens.

A 37-year-old woman was found dead inside a parked Honda sedan near 12-20 34th Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, the car’s front left was crushed. No other vehicles were involved. The report states, 'No skid marks. No other car. Just a body, a crumpled shell.' The woman was the only occupant and driver. The contributing factors are listed as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors or external causes are identified in the data. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4517566, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Toyota sedan crashed head-on on Humboldt Street near Meeker Avenue. Four inside. The right front was crushed. One man in the back bled from the head. The car reeked of alcohol. No airbags. No belts. Night, metal, blood.

A 2007 Toyota sedan crashed head-on on Humboldt Street near Meeker Avenue at 3:16 a.m. Four people were inside. According to the police report, the right front of the car was crushed. One man in the back seat suffered a head injury and severe bleeding but was conscious. The report states, 'The car reeked of alcohol.' Alcohol involvement was listed as a contributing factor for the driver and all passengers. No airbags deployed. Some occupants wore no seat belts. The crash data highlights 'Alcohol Involvement' as the primary driver error. No other contributing factors were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4493256, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15