The Weekly Carnage

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

carnage_justich_news.jpgFrank Justich was pinned to a sanitation truck by the driver of a tractor-trailer in Astoria. He died some 35 minutes later. No charges were filed. Photo: Daily News
Fatal Crashes (5 Killed This Week, 22 This Year, 4 Drivers Charged*)
  • Astoria, Queens: Frank Justich, 41-Year-Old Sanitation Worker, Father of Two, Killed by Turning Truck Driver While on the Job; No Charges Filed (News, City Room, YourNabe, Post, NY1, WNYC)
  • Fresh Meadows, Queens: Seymon Brodsky, 84, Killed at 182nd St. and Union Turnpike, Where Locals Have Lobbied NYCDOT for Safety Improvements; No Charges Filed (YourNabe)
  • Queens: Crashes in Bayside, College Point, Forest Hills Claim 3 Pedestrians Since January 21, Including Two Hit-and-Runs; One Victim Identified as Arnulfo Velardo, 84; No Known Charges (YourNabe)

carnage_qnsrest.jpgPhoto: Queens Gazette
Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage
  • Gothamist Newsmap: Unidentified Pedestrian Struck on UES
  • Flatlands, Brooklyn: Unidentified Pedestrian Hit, Hospitalized in Critical Condition (Post)
  • Long Island City: Collision Sends Driver Careening Into Restaurant; Injuries Unknown (Qns Gazette)
  • Brooklyn: Parked Cars Hit in Police Chase Through Red Hook, Heights (Bklyn Paper, BHB)
  • Bronx: Driver, Matron Save Four Disabled Kids From Burning School Bus (News)
  • Pelham Bay: Two-Car Collision Leaves 1 in Coma; Driver Charged With DWI, Assault (YourNabe)
  • Brooklyn: Trucker Runs Over Secret Service Car on BQE, Keeps Going; No Injuries, No Charges (Post)
  • SI: Cops Made 9 DWI Arrests Last Weekend, 4 Stemming From Crashes (Advance)
  • SI: Multi-Car Crash Shuts Down Bayonne Bridge (Advance)

carnage_lexus_wnbc.jpgPhoto: WNBC
In the Region, Out of Town
  • Tanker Crash Causes Massive Fire on LIE, Leaves 1 Dead (WCBS 1, 2)
  • Central Islip, LI: 2 Die When Speeding Car Hits Trees; Teen Driver Charged With DWI (WNBC)
  • Buffalo: Truck Driver Watching His Laptop Smashes Into Stalled Car, Killing Driver (AP)
  • Clarence, NY: First Woman State Trooper to Die on Duty Killed in Truck Collision (AP)
  • Toronto "Shell-Shocked" by Spate of Pedestrian Deaths (Spacing Toronto)
  • Los Angeles: Driver Who Beat, Ran Over Pedestrian Claims Self Defense at Murder Trial (Times)

Other News

  • With Traffic Deaths Down and Pedestrian Deaths Up, City Pledges Action (Streetsblog)
  • NYPD Transportation Manager: Safe Pedestrians Not as Important as Happy Drivers (Streetsblog)
  • Ray Kelly Joins Electeds in Call for Tougher Distracted Driving Penalties (Post)
  • TLC Ban on Distracted Driving Takes Effect (Post)
  • Study Finds No Decline in Crashes After Adoption of DWD Laws (Wheels)
  • U.S. DOT Bans Texting by Truck and Bus Drivers (Bits)
  • Colorado Looks Into Digital Billboards as Potential Distractions (KUSA)
  • Toyota Shuts Production, Stops Sales of Eight Models Due to Sticky Accelerator (NYT 1, 2)
  • 24K Chryslers Subject to Brake Failure Recall (WSJ)
  • Bonus Recall Coverage: How to Stop an Out-of-Control Vehicle (NYT)

* Based on latest available reports