The Weekly Carnage

by Brad Aaron on August 7, 2009

The Weekly Carnage is a Friday round-up of motor vehicle mayhem across the metro region. For more on the origins and purpose of this column, please read About the Weekly Carnage.

wantagh.JPGPhoto: Newsday
Fatal Crashes (12 Killed This Week, 105 This Year*, 11 Drivers Charged**)
  • Manhattan, Queens: Two Pedestrians Killed in Hit-and-Run "Accidents" (NYT, News) 
  • Queens: Hospital Patient Hit by Two Drivers on Grand Central Pkwy; Neither Stops (News) 
  • Nassau Co.: Three Dead, One Seriously Hurt in One-Car Wantagh Parkway Crash (Gothamist)
  • Farmingdale, LI: Truck Rear-Ends Van, Pushing It Into Pedestrian (Newsday)
  • Fairfield, CT: Passenger Dies When Motorcycle Hits Tree (CT Post)  
  • West Orange, NJ: Two Teens Die When Corvette Collides With Hummer (Star-Ledger, The Local)
  • Montgomery Twp, NJ: Drunk Driver, 20, Hits Pole; Passenger, 19, Is Killed (Star-Ledger 1, 2)
  • Clifton, NJ: Man Crashes Motorcycle on Garden State Parkway Ramp (Star-Ledger)

queensfest.jpgPhoto: Daily News
Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage
  • Queens: Livery Driver Tears Through Street Festival; 12-13 Hurt; No Charges Filed (News, Post)
  • Brooklyn: Child Nearly "Ripped in Half" by Livery Driver Who Crashed Into Shop; 4 Hurt Total (News) 
  • Brooklyn: On-Call NYPD Cruiser in Bed-Stuy Hit at Intersection; Four Hospitalized (Gothamist)
  • Brooklyn: On-Call FDNY Truck in Bed-Stuy Slams Into Car; "Minor" Injuries Reported (News)  
  • Staten Island: Two Hospitalized When Car Flips in South Beach (SI Advance)
  • Staten Island: Woman Nabbed After Hitting Parked Cars Has .292 Blood Alcohol Level (SI Advance)
  • Alpine, NJ: Cyclist Critical After Crash at 9W and Palisades Parkway (LoHud)
  • Danbury, CT: 11-Year-Old Boy Hit by Van, Hospitalized (CT Post) 
  • Stratford, CT: 10-Year-Old Boy Hit, in Serious Condition (CT Post)
  • Fairfield, CT: Driver, 19, Who Fell Out of Jeep Charged With DUI (CT Post)
  • Dobbs Ferry, NY: Pedestrian Struck at Intersection Known for Crashes (LoHud) 
  • Pelham, NY: 14-Year-Olds Caught Driving in Separate Incidents, One Following Crash (LoHud)
  • New Castle, NY: Two in One Car Arrested for DWI (LoHud)  
  • Mount Olive, NJ: Cyclist Hit, Injured by SUV Driver (NJ.com)
  • Scotch Plains, NJ: Driver Crashes Into Kids' Section of Library; No Injuries (NJ.com) 
  • White Twp, NJ: Firefighter Directing Traffic Hit by Drunk Driver (Star-Ledger) 
  • Ewing, NJ: Man Who Flipped Car Says He Was Shot At (Times) 
  • Dix Hills, LI: Two Hospitalized in Two-Car Collision (Newsday)

Following Up

  • Staten Island: Man Who Caused SIE Pile-Up Was High, Had 2 Prior DWI Convictions (SI Advance) 
  • Diane Schuler, Mother in Westchester Crash That Killed Eight, Was Drunk, Had Smoked Pot (NYT) 
  • Related: Husband Insists on Alternate Explanation, Stops Talking to Police (News, Newsday 1, 2)
  • Newark: Target of Police Shootout Wanted in Fatal Hit-and-Run (Star-Ledger)
  • Rahway, NJ: DWI Driver Convicted in Cyclist Killing to Get New Trial (AP)
  • Islandia, LI: Off-Duty Officer Killed in June LIE Crash Was Drunk (Newsday)
  • Morristown, NJ: Mother of Motorcyclist Killed During Pursuit Suing Police (Star-Ledger) 
  • Hartford, CT: Mistrial in Civil Suit Against Bus Driver Who Killed Pedestrian (CT Post) 

TXchurch.jpgPhoto: AP
Out of Town
  • Asheville, NC: Attempted Murder Charge Dropped for Driver Who Shot Cyclist (Streetsblog)
  • Detroit, MI: Shock Jock Morons Encourage More Motorist-on-Cyclist Violence (Streetsblog) 
  • In Gulfport, MS, Even the Bike Club Blames Cyclists for Driver Negligence (AP)
  • Gilmer, TX: Three Injured When SUV Plows Into Crowded Church (AP) 
  • Indianapolis, IN: Hit-and-Run Driver Arrested for Killing Infant in Stroller (AP) 
  • Cleveland, OH: Bus Driver Who Killed Ped Was on Phone; Charged With Homicide (AP) 
  • San Francisco: Arrest in July Hit-and-Run That Injured Cyclist and Four-Year-Old Son (Streetsblog SF)
  • Sumter, SC: Mom Lets Daughter, 14, Drive Car Full of Kids; One Dead (AP) 
  • Mabel, MN: Man Backs Over, Kills 2-Year-Old Grandson With Pick-Up (AP)
  • Dedham, MA: 88-Year-Old Kills 4-Year-Old Ped, Gets Probation; Killed Husband in '92 Crash (AP) 
  • Sheboygan, WI: Passenger Seat Driver Crashes Into Store, Kills Clerk, Pleads Not Guilty (AP)
  • Oxford, MS: Lawsuit Proceeds Against Morgan Freeman for 2008 Crash (AP)  
  • Cleveland, OH: Donte' Stallworth Apologizes to NFL for Ped Death (AP)

Trends

  • Manhattan DA Candidate Richard Aborn Promises to Take Traffic Crime Seriously (Streetsblog)
  • Cab Drivers, NYPD Ignore Cell Phone Ban (NYT)
  • On NYC's Lawless Streets, Ray Kelly's "1.2 Million Summonses" Merely a Blip (Streetsblog)
  • Suffolk Cops to Alert Parents When Kids Are Pulled Over (Newsday)
  • Stamford, CT: Columnist Goes Off on Dangerous Downtown Drivers (CT Post)
  • Derby, CT: Limits on Roadside Memorials Considered (CT Post) 
  • Amidst Ped Death Spike, Overall NJ Road Deaths Down as Seatbelt Usage Climbs (NJ.com) 
  • U.S. Transpo Department Announces Distracted Driving Forum (NYT)
  • Massachusetts Looks to Reduce Drowsy Driving (Boston Globe) 
  • Distracted, Drowsy -- How About Blind? (Wheels)

* Since the week of June 8
** Drivers charged for deaths since the week of June 8, based on latest available reports