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The Weekly Carnage

Brad Aaron — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:00:51 +0000

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.

The teen driver of this Saturn rear-ended another car, which lurched into 17-year-old Janine Brawer of Staten Island, pinning her beneath. She died from her injuries. Brawer was one of seven city pedestrians killed in the past week. Of the 10 motorists involved, four fled. No charges were reported against those who remained at the scene, while one of the hit-and-run drivers escaped criminal charges for killing an as-yet unidentified pedestrian in Brooklyn. Photo: Daily News

Fatal Crashes (13 Killed This Week, 268 This Year*, 25 Drivers Charged**)

SI: Teen's Crash Pushes Car Into Fellow Student; No Charges (Advance, News, Post, WINS)
Bronx: Hit-and-Run Driver Mows Down 28-Year-Old Woman; CT Man Killed in Separate Crash (News)
Brooklyn: 78-Year-Old Grandmother Killed by Driver on Her Birthday (Post)
Brooklyn: Hit-and-Run Driver Strikes Ped, Bus; Charged Only With Leaving Scene (Post)
Queens: Pedestrian Hit by Three Drivers; One Flees Scene (NY1)
Queens: Unidentified Ped Death Brings No Charges, Scant Media Coverage (Streetsblog)
Queens: Two-Car Collision Leaves 67-Year-Old Passenger Dead (Qns Courier)
Farmingdale, LI: 14-Year-Old Cyclist Killed; No Charges Filed (Newsday 1, 2, AP)
Continental Village, LI: Trucker Killed After Oncoming Driver Crosses Center Line (LoHud)
Stratford, CT: Driver Exits Car After Crash, Killed When Another Driver Plows Into It (AP)
Sayreville, NJ: Pedestrian, 28, Dies of Injuries From Early Morning Crash; No Charges (S-L)
Montville, NJ: Tractor Trailer-Car Collision Kills 1 (S-L)

Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage

Gothamist Newsmap: 4 Unidentified Pedestrians Hit in Last Seven Days (1, 2, 3, 4)
Manhattan: Joe Biden's NYPD Escort Rammed by Livery Cab Driver (HuffPo, NYT)
Related: Biden Security in Two Other Recent Crashes; 1 Leaves DC Pedestrian Dead (UPI, WaPo)
Manhattan: West Side Crash Backs Traffic Into Jersey, Westchester (Streetsblog, City Room)
Brooklyn: 9 Hospitalized After Crash Involving 4 Cars, School Bus (AP)
Brooklyn: Wrong-Way Hit-and-Run Driver Injures 1 in Pulaski Bridge Collision (Post)
SI: Teen Rams Police Car After Reckless Driving Stop (Advance)
Larchmont, NY: Pedestrian Hit, Hospitalized With Head Injuries; No Charges (LoHud)
White Plains: Road Rager Assaults Fellow Motorist After Minor Crash (LoHud)
Brightwaters, LI: 4 Elderly Pedestrians Hit, 2 Seriously Injured; Driver, 73, Didn't See Them (Newsday)
Bay Shore, LI: Toddler Seriously Injured When Mom Spins Into Another Car (Newsday)
Wantagh, LI: Crumbling Overpass Drops Debris on Parkway, Causing 10-Car Crash (AP)
Wyandach, LI: Man With Suspended License Arrested for DWI, Had Kids in Car (AP)
Bayonne: Driver Critically Injures 77-Year-Old Ped, Ticketed for Failure to Yield (Jersey Jrnl)
Newtown, CT: 17-Year-Old Driving 4 Other Teens Arrested for DWI After One-Car Crash (CT Post)
Newtown, CT: State Legislator Can't Resist Violating Cell Phone Law (AP)

Following Up

Manhattan: Truck Driver Auvryn Scarlett Gets 20-to-Life for Killing Tourist Couple (Post, News, TWC)
Brooklyn: Ped Killer Complains That Vic's Prosecutor Mom Is Taking His Case Too Personally (News)
Bronx: R'dale Press Has Thorough Coverage of Drana Nikac Crash, Profile of Det. Kevin Spellman
Milford, CT: Police Release Harrowing Video of Cop Crash That Killed 2 Teens (HuffPo/AP)
Related: Officers Accused of Drag Racing as Department Blames Dead Kids (CT Post 1, 2, 3)
Suffolk Co.: Driver Ducks Community Service "Sentence" After 2006 Fatal Crash (Newsday)
Carmel, NY: Slap on the Wrist for DWI Mom Who Wrecked Car Full of Terrified Children (LoHud)
Diane Schuler Crash Featured in New York Mag
Roselle Park, NJ: Driver Surrenders in Fatal Hit-and-Run (S-L)

Photo: AP

Out of Town

Orlando, FL: Noted Boston Cardiologist, Triathlete Killed Taking a Run; No Charges Expected (Globe)
Medford, NJ: Driver Hits Cyclist While Texting Drug Dealer (AP)
Baker City, OR: Church Van Crash on Icy Road Kills 2, Injures 11 (AP)
Minneapolis: Tour Bus Driver Suffers Aneurysm; 2 Dead, 21 Injured (AP)
Cleveland, OH: Cellphone-Using Bus Driver Gets Six Months for Fatally Striking Pedestrian (AP)
Columbus, OH: Driver Fails to Stop for School Buses, Kills Woman on Crutches; No Charges (WCMH)
Asheville, NC: Death of 4-Year-Old Leads to Call for Pedestrian Improvements (Citizen-Times)
Morganton, NC, Population 17,000, Sees 4 Pedestrians Hit, 1 Fatally, in One Week (News Herald)
Chattanooga, TN: Man Killed Trying to Aid Injured Pedestrian; No Charges for Either Driver (Times FP)
McLean, VA: Wife of Sen. Dick Lugar Arrested for DWI, Hit-and-Run After Hitting Parked Car (AP)

Trends and Other News

"Leandra's Law" Clears Albany; City Enforcers Streamline DWI Protocols (Sblog, News, NYT, NY1)
Suburban NY Lawmakers to Introduce 3-Foot Cyclist Buffer Law (LoHud)
Teen Drivers Killing Themselves, and Others, for the Privilege of TWD (WaPo)
Obama Admin Wants Seatbelts for Long-Distance Buses (AP)
Tom Vanderbilt Debunks the Myth of the Daredevil "Jaywalker" (Slate)
NHTSA Says Hybrid Drivers Hit More People; Treehugger Has Doubts; Car Blog Finds the Funny
This Just In: Drivers With Severe Visual Impairment Have Trouble Seeing Pedestrians (PRN, MedPage)
In Macon, GA, Pedestrians Account for Over Half of 2009 Traffic Deaths (Telegraph)
Philly Launches Cyclist Crackdown as Drivers Flout the Law With Abandon (Inquirer, I-911)
Letter From Highway Safety Director Makes You Glad You Don't Live in Louisiana (Daily Comet)

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

If a New Car Can Demolish an Old One, How Is a Human Expected to Fare?

Brad Aaron — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:59:56 +0000

To mark its 50th anniversary, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently pitted a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air against its contemporary counterpart, a 2009 Malibu, in a 40 mph crash test. As you can see in the video, the Malibu destroys its predecessor.

The results were intended to demonstrate how much safer cars are now than a half-decade ago, but my first thought was that the new vehicle is the same make and model that NYPD Detective Kevin Spellman drove into Drana Nikac at an estimated 30 mph -- a speed that carries a pedestrian fatality rate of up to 45 percent.

So while modern-day engineering may be better at protecting drivers and passengers, the auto industry and the IIHS -- whose "bigger is better" philosophy ignores those outside of vehicles -- have a long, long way to go before they can crow too loudly about overall safety.

Streetfilms Shorties: West Side Highway Crash Aftermath

Elizabeth Press — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:23:59 +0000

A crash shut down the southbound West Side Highway for about two hours during the morning rush yesterday. The Times reported that a northbound driver catapulted into the southbound lanes, colliding with a southbound vehicle near 125th Street shortly before 7:00 a.m. Three people were injured and taken to St. Luke's Hospital.

I was riding by on the West Side bike path two hours later and shot this footage.

The Weekly Carnage

Brad Aaron — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:40:16 +0000

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.

Photo: Star-Ledger

Fatal Crashes (12 Killed This Week, 255 This Year*, 25 Drivers Charged**)

Brooklyn: Memorial Set for Eliseo Martinez, Cyclist Killed in September (Ghost Bikes)
Greenburgh, NY: Cycling Advocate Killed by Bus; Driver Back on the Job (LoHud 1, 2)
Bohemia, LI: Man Thrown From Back Seat in Crash, Body Not Found for Hours (Newsday)
Truck Driver in Last Week's LIE Collision Dies From Injuries (Newsday)
Newark: Unidentified Pedestrian Hit, Killed (S-L)
Roselle Park, NJ: Pedestrian Dies in Hit-and-Run; Police Looking for Killer (S-L)
Old Bridge, NJ: 14-Year-Old Cyclist Killed by 17-Year-Old Driver (S-L)
East Amwell, NJ: Man Killed Walking Home From Work; No Charges Expected (Hunterdon CD)
Montvale, NJ: Minivan Driver Strikes 75-Year-Old Pedestrian (S-L)
East Orange, NJ: 2 Men Attending to Stalled Vehicle Hit by Passing Driver; 1 Dead (S-L)
North Brunswick, NJ: SUV Driver Dies After Colliding With School Bus (S-L)
Hamilton, NJ: Speeding Driver Killed in One-Car Crash (S-L)
Bethel, CT: 85-Year-Old Dies After Rear-Ending Pickup (CT Post)

A collision with a livery cab sent a pickup truck into a Clinton Hill mosque. Photo: Robin Urban Smith

Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage

Manhattan: Brake Failure Cited as Concrete Truck Hits Cars, Building; 10 Hurt (Streetsblog, Post)
Manhattan: City Buses Collide in Midtown; 9 Injured (Gothamist)
Brooklyn: Driver Distracted by Cellphone Crashes Into Truck, Injuring 2 (Post)
Brooklyn: Unidentified Pedestrian Critically Injured in Ditmas Park (Post)
Staten Island: One-Car Crash Leaves Minivan on Its Roof (Advance)
White Plains: Pedestrian Paralyzed From Chest Down; No Charges for Driver (LoHud)
Manorville, LI: 81-Year-Old Driver Seriously Hurt in One-Car Crash (Newsday)
Nassau Co.: Drunk Driver Clocked at 105 MPH on Meadowbrook Pkwy. (Newsday)
Carle Place, LI: Man Ticketed for Speeding Harasses Trooper's Mom (Newsday)
Newark: Pedestrian Hit by Dump Truck Driver, in Critical Condition (S-L)
Newark: Van Driver Is Sixth to Hit Same House in Four Years (S-L)
Milford, CT: Driver Plows Into Nail Salon, Injuring 8 (CT Post)
Kenilworth, NJ: 6-Year-Old Pedestrian Hospitalized After Collision (NJLN)
Sayreville, NJ: Seton Hall Basketball Player Charged in DWI Crash (S-L)

Following Up

Institutional Dysfunction Linked to Deadly Behavior at MTA and NYPD (Streetsblog)
Related: Raging Bus Driver Who Killed Seth Kahn Ticketed for Failure to Yield (News)
Related: 170 Bus Drivers Caught Texting-While-Driving This Year (News)
Related: Unions Cites Shift Structure as Cause of Rampant Drunk Driving by NYPD Detectives (News)
Albany Reluctant to Protect Kids From Drunk Drivers (Observer, Post, News 1, 2)
Villager: City Needs Safer Bike Lanes; Legislature Should Pass Leandra's Law
Smithtown, LI: Cops Looking for Driver Who Ran Over Motorcycle Passenger (Newsday)
Taconic Wrong-Way Tragedy Officially Devolves Into Soap Opera Spectacle (Newsday)
Suffolk Co.: Kids of Officer Killed by DWI Driver Receive College Grant (Newsday)
Milford, CT: Cop in Collision That Killed 2 Teens Charged With Manslaughter (CT Post)

Photo: AP

Out of Town

Rincon, Puerto Rico: Long Islander Charged With DWI in "Car-Surfing" Death (Newsday)
Ellenville, NY: Medical Examiner Charged With Driving Drunk to Crash Site (AP)
Oklahoma City: Elephant Escapes Circus, Hit by SUV (AP)
La Marque, TX: Man Reaching for Phone Drives $1M Bugatti Into Marsh; Blames Pelican (AP)
San Francisco: Trucker Dies in 200-Foot Plummet From Bay Bridge (AP)
Miami, FL: Lawrence Taylor Arrested After Hit-and-Run Collision (News)

Trends and Other News

Peds Make Up 1 in 3 NYC Traffic Deaths as State Skimps on Safety (Streetsblog, News, Post, NY1)
NYCDOT Turns Deaf Ear to Pleas for Safety Improvements on Queens Boulevard (News)
Staten Island DA Joins Call for Quicker DWI Evidence Collection (Post)
SIers Left Waiting for City to Replace Stolen Stop Sign (Advance)
Jodie Lane Website Maps Con Ed Sidewalk "Stray Voltage" Hot Spots (Villager, Gothamist)
France: New Radar Detector Broadcasts Speed Enforcement Locations (Wheels)
When Involved in a Traffic Collision, Whatever You Do, Don't Apologize (LoHud)
Where Are the World's Most Dangerous Roads? (How We Drive)

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

Civil Servants Behaving Badly, With Deadly Results. What Can Be Done?

Brad Aaron — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:08:06 +0000

The killing of Seth Kahn by MTA bus driver Jeremy Philhower was the fourth instance in a recent spate of pedestrian deaths at the hands of public employees, either on or off the job. These fatalities have brought to light disturbing patterns at both the MTA and NYPD that could be putting more New Yorkers at risk.

An MTA express bus driver texts while on duty. Photo: SI Advance

Following its initial coverage of Kahn's death, the Daily News reported that MTA has disciplined or fired 170 bus drivers this year for using mobile devices while on the job -- an increase of 60 percent over all of 2008. The MTA cites increased enforcement as the reason behind the upswing, implying that many of these same drivers have engaged in such grossly negligent behavior for some time. Philhower himself had been suspended for texting while driving, and NYC Transit reportedly wanted to fire him, but an arbitration ruling put him back behind the wheel. He was issued a ticket for failing to yield in Kahn's death, and could again face sanctions from his employer.

The News also reported this week that union reps want NYPD to alter the way it manages shift assignments for detectives. Under the current system, in which shifts can be separated by as little as seven hours, many detectives apparently find themselves with three options: sleep at the precinct house; drive home to the suburbs, then drive back to work with very little rest; or go out and get drunk. In September, off-duty homicide detective Timothy Duffy died when he crashed into a garbage truck on the BQE. Writes the News:

Duffy had ended his shift at 2 a.m. and was due back at work that morning. Rather than drive home to Suffolk County, he remained in the city and had been drinking before the accident, police sources said.

It isn't clear whether changes sought by the Detectives Endowment Association could have prevented the death of Drana Nikac, the 67-year-old grandmother run down by Kevin Spellman in the Bronx, and they would not have saved Vionique Valnord, killed by Officer Andrew Kelly in Brooklyn. In addition to lobbying the department for more humane working hours, police unions should also try to prevent their members from choosing to drink and drive, for their sake and everyone else's. When the police commissioner convenes a special panel in response to repeat fatal offenses committed by your membership, it's clearly time for action.

In addition to Nikac and Kahn, Dorothea Wallace was killed last week by Damon Padmore, a corrections officer with a suspended license, while, though accounts differ regarding the exact circumstances of his death, Luis Rivera of the Bronx was struck and killed by a city bus driver on Halloween.

We have no statistical data to refer to when it comes to injuries and fatal crashes involving civil servants, but given recent events, it's an issue that deserves attention from within and without. New Yorkers have a right to expect all public agencies -- and especially police and transit workers -- to uphold the highest standards of safety on city streets.

Concrete Truck Plows Into Canal Street Sidewalk, Injuring Eight

Ben Fried — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:46:27 +0000

Photo: Matt Hogan.

Eight people were injured this afternoon after a concrete truck careened into the sidewalk on the one-block diagonal linking Canal Street to the Bowery.

Vehicles exiting the Manhattan Bridge have turned this block, often teeming with people waiting for the Fung Wah Bus, into a constant danger zone. Here's what an employee at the jewelry store across the street told the Tribeca Trib:

"Ever since I was a kid, trucks come flying off the bridge," he said. "It’s at least three or four times a year, this happens, and it’s always these trucks. They fly right off that thing like there’s no tomorrow."

After 10 years at the store, John said he no longer ventures across the intersection for his lunch for fear of becoming the next casualty.

Update: Reader Matt Hogan informs us that the truck bed was packed with what looked like 50-pound bags of cement at the time of the crash. The rear of the vehicle is outfitted with an apparatus for mixing and pouring out concrete.

The Weekly Carnage

Brad Aaron — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:25:59 +0000

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.

Damon Padmore, driving this SUV, hit and killed 38-year-old Dorothea Wallace as she made her way to work in Downtown Brooklyn. Padmore, a corrections officer at Sing Sing, was arrested for driving with a suspended license, but was not charged for killing Wallace. Photo: 1010 WINS

Fatal Crashes (10 Killed This Week, 242 This Year*, 25 Drivers Charged**)

Bronx: NYPD Detective Hits, Kills 67-Year-Old; Charged With DWI, Homicide (News 1, 2, Post 1, 2)
Related: Commissioner Kelly Forms Panel to Speed DWI Evidence Collection (Streetsblog)
Brooklyn: Unlicensed Prison Guard Strikes Woman, Not Charged for Death (News, Post, NY1)
Manhattan: 22-Year-Old Student Run Over By MTA Bus in Hell's Kitchen; No Charges (Streetsblog)
Bronx: Halloween Vandalism "Prank" Ends With Man Fatally Struck by City Bus (AMNY, News)
Staten Island: Woman Killed in SIE Crash; Boyfriend Charged With DWI, Homicide (News, Advance)
Harrison, NY: Livery Driver Killed, Passerby Injured Changing Tire on I-95 (LoHud)
Seaford, LI: Man Killed Crossing Road After Crash (Newsday)
Nutley, NJ: Driver Speeds Through Popular Trick-or-Treat Zone, Kills Kid; No Charges (S-L 1, 2, 3)
South Brunswick, NJ: Elderly Florida Couple Killed in Wrong-Way Jersey Tpk. Collision (S-L)

No charges were filed against the Parks Dept. employee who seriously injured former Off-Broadway actress Shami Chaikin as she rode her motorized wheelchair in the Eighth Avenue bike lane. Photo: New York Post

Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage

Gothamist Newsmap: 3 Unidentified Pedestrians Struck Since Saturday (Gothamist 1, 2)
Manhattan: Woman in Wheelchair Hit by Parks Employee in 8th Ave. Bike Lane (Sblog, Post, News)
Manhattan: Cabs Crash Into Scaffolding in East Village; 6 Injured (Gothamist)
Manhattan: Al Sharpton's Daughter, Ex-Wife Charged With Resisting Arrest After Traffic Stop (Post)
Queens: Driver on PCP Arrested En Route to Pick Up Daughter at School (News)
Post Blotter Notes DWI, Road Rage Crashes on Staten Island
Staten Island: Suspected Gang Member on PCP Crashes After Police Stop (Advance)
Staten Island: Rider Snaps Photos of Texting Express Bus Driver (Advance)
Staten Island: SUV Driver Mounts Car in Parking Lot; No Injuries Reported (Advance)
Eastchester, NY: Driving Home From Game 6, Joe Girardi Renders Aid at Crash Site (LoHud)
Smithtown, LI: Motorcyclist Charged With DWI After Passenger Falls Off, Hit by Driver (AP)
Tractor-Trailer Collides With SUV, Closes LIE for 12 Hours; 1 Injured (Newsday)
Stamford, CT: 12-Year-Old Struck, Critical; No Charges Expected (CT Post)
Jersey City: 6 Passengers Injured in NJ Transit Bus Crash (Jersey Jrnl)
Jersey City: Man Arrested for DWI After Halloween Crash Into Cemetery (Jersey Jrnl)
Branchburg, NJ: Woman Hit, Seriously Hurt Trying to Help Injured Deer (Reporter)
Clifton, NJ: Driver Misses Curve, Sails Into House (Record); Witty S-L Reader Commentary Ensues
Linden, NJ: 69-Year-Old Gas Station Attendant Attacked by Deadbeat Motorist (NJLN)
Edison, NJ: Road Worker's Leg Crushed by Steamroller (S-L)

Following Up

Brooklyn: Officer Andrew Kelly Pleads Not Guilty for Vionique Valnord Death (News, Post, City Room)
Queens: Man Gets 34-to-Life for Trying to Run Down Cops With Stolen MTA SUV (Qns Trib, YourNabe)
Staten Island: Thousands Pay Tribute to 16-Year-Old Killed in One-Car Wreck (Post)
Nassau Co.: Man Gets 5-10 Years for DWI Crash That Maimed Queens Cop (News)
White Plains: Woman Sentenced to 1-3 Years for Killing Friend in DWI Crash (AP)

Photo: Nevada Appeal

Out of Town

Los Angeles: Road Rage Doc Thompson Convicted for 2008 Assault on 2 Cyclists (Streetsblog)
Related: Civil Suit Filed by Victim Ron Peterson (AP)
Herkimer, NY: Man Struck, Killed While Trick-or-Treating With 8-Year-Old Son (AP)
Forestport, NY: Road Worker Holding Stop Sign Killed; No Immediate Charges (AP)
Galen, NY: Man Tries to Torch Car With Wife Inside (AP)
Carson City, NV: 3-Year-Old in Stroller Hit During Family Halloween Outing (Appeal)
Portland, OR: Man Guilty in Hit-and-Run of Pedicab Driven by Large Orange Rabbit (AP)
Dickinson, ND: 3 Missing College Softball Players Found in Submerged SUV (AP)
Berlin: Soldier Drives Car Into Fellow Troops, Injuring 13 (AP)
Sacramento Kings' Andres Nocioni Arrested on Suspicion of DUI (NBA.com)
Tokyo: Brad Pitt Shops for New Motorcycle After LA Crash (AP)
Morgan Freeman Settles Civil Suit Stemming From 2008 Rollover (BBC)

Trends and Other News

Brooklyn: Student Speeders Terrorize Manhattan Beach (Post)
Staten Island: Following Death, Great Kills Residents Want Relief From Cut-Through Drivers (Advance)
NY State's Watered-Down Texting Ban Now in Effect (NY1)
Cellphone Maker Garmin Pushes DWD as Product Selling Point (Streetsblog)
Text-Crash Teen: Every Kid I Know Texts While Driving (News)
Britain Gets Tougher on DWD, But Even Victims Still Sympathize With Killer Drivers (NYT)
Deadly Toyota Acceleration Defect "Goes Beyond Floor Mats" (Consumerist, Wheels)
Consumer Group Says Power Windows Dangerous to Kids; NHTSA: Meh (Wheels)
Many Drivers Apparently Don't Expect Pedestrians in Parking Lots, Either (WaPo)

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

Student Killed on Ninth Ave. Is Fourth City Pedestrian Fatality in Five Days

Brad Aaron — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:55:23 +0000

Seth Kahn, pictured here with late TV pitchman Billy Mays. Photo via Facebook

Ninth Avenue in Hell's Kitchen was the site of another pedestrian death Wednesday. Around 8:44 a.m., Seth Kahn was crossing Ninth at W. 53rd Street when he was hit by an out-of-service bus. He died a short time later at Roosevelt Hospital. Kahn, a 22-year-old from Westchester, was a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Inevitably, some media reports portray Kahn, who was in the crosswalk, as trying to beat the light, while making less of the fact that the bus driver, turning left from 53rd, must have also rushed into the intersection. The driver was not charged.

Despite the constant presence of pedestrians, Ninth Avenue is a notoriously dangerous place for people to walk. The quotes have been removed from the story now, but a local resident told NY1 (via Gothamist): "That particular corner always has some accidents. All the cars travel very fast and there's too many buses using 53rd Street and they don't even look for pedestrians."

Kahn was the fourth known pedestrian to die in the city in less than a week. On Tuesday a corrections officer with a suspended license hit Dorothea Wallace of Prospect Heights as she walked to work. Luis Rivera of the Bronx was struck and killed by a city bus driver on Halloween after he reportedly threw something at the bus' windshield. And last Friday, off-duty NYPD detective Kevin Spellman ran down 67-year-old Drana Nikac as she crossed a street in Kingsbridge.

Parks Dept. Truck Seriously Injures Wheelchair User in 8th Ave Bike Lane

Ben Fried — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:07:15 +0000

A Parks Department sanitation truck struck a 78-year-old woman using a motor-assisted wheelchair in the Eighth Avenue bike lane this morning shortly before 10 a.m., just north of Bleecker Street. The victim suffered head trauma and was taken to St. Vincent's Hospital, where she is in serious condition, a police spokesman said. No further details on the collision are available at this time. NYPD said the investigation is ongoing.

The driver was heard repeating that he "didn't see" the victim, according to Michelle Ernst of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, who passed the scene of the crash this morning and sent in this picture.

Streetsblog has requests in with DOT and the Parks Department to determine if a policy is in place governing the use of protected bike paths by city vehicles. We'll post more information as it becomes available.

Off-Duty Cop “Taken Into Custody for DWI” After Bronx Pedestrian Death

Brad Aaron — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:34:06 +0000

Image: WABC

Minutes after posting the latest installment of The Weekly Carnage, we came across the story of another NYPD-involved pedestrian fatality, this time an elderly woman, killed by an off-duty cop this morning in the Bronx. The Daily News reports:

Kevin Spellman, a 22-year department veteran, was taken into custody after the deadly 6:30 a.m. accident at W. 232nd St. and Kingsbridge Ave., police said.

Spellman, 42, was driving south when his 2009 Chevrolet Impala slammed into the unidentified woman. She was pronounced dead at St. Barnabas Hospital.

Like Andrew Kelly, the officer who killed Brooklyn pedestrian Vionique Valnord four weeks ago, Spellman reportedly refused a Breathalyzer test. The News says Spellman "was not immediately charged," though NY1 says he was "taken into custody for DWI." WABC says there may have been two victims.

The Weekly Carnage

Brad Aaron — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:55:36 +0000

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.

Photo: Daily News

Fatal Crashes (5 Killed This Week, 232 This Year*, 23 Drivers Charged**)

Queens: Crack-Smoking Driver Charged With Manslaughter for Killing 2 Kids (News 1, 2, Post, NY1)
Staten Island: Unlicensed 16-Year-Old Kills Self, Injures Friend in One-Car Crash (Advance 1, 2, 3)
Spotswood, NJ: 1 Killed, 2 Hurt in Three-Car Collision (S-L)
Barnegat, NJ: Collision Between Two SUVs Kills 1, Injures 4 (S-L)

Photo: Daily News

Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage

Gothamist Newsmap: 5 Pedestrians Struck Since Sunday (Gothamist 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Brooklyn: Two Fire Trucks Collide, Injuring 12 (NYT, News)
Brooklyn: Major Crash Reported Near Cadman Plaza (Gothamist, Advance)
Serious Staten Island Collision Injures 2 (Advance)
Yorktown, NY: 73-Year-Old Charged With DWI, Leaving Scene After Head-On Crash (LoHud)
Southampton, LI: Wrong-Way Driver Rams Three Police Cars, Four Others (Newsday)
Melville, LI: Ladders Fall Off Truck, Shut LIE for 90 Minutes; 4 Injured; Driver Has No Idea (Newsday)
Melville, LI: 3 Injured in SUV Collision (Newsday)
Holbrook, LI: 2 Drivers, 1 Child Injured in Two-Car Crash (Newsday)
Yaphank, LI: School Bus Rear-Ended; No Injuries Reported (Newsday)
Jersey City: Homeless Man Hit, Hospitalized (Jersey Jrnl)
Secaucus, NJ: DWI Man Arrested When 12-Year-Old Passenger Calls Cops (S-L)
Bayonne, NJ: Man Hits Parked Car, Charged With DWI (Jersey Jrnl)
Hamilton, NJ: Turnpike Crash Injures 2 (Times)
Mount Olive, NJ: Driver Arrested for DWI After Crashing Truck Into Tree (Warren Rep)
Danbury, CT: 6 Hurt in Three-Car Wreck (CT Post)
Bridgeport, CT: Five Cops Under Investigation Following Crash (CT Post)

Following Up

Manhattan: No Charges Filed in Deadly East Village Collision (Post)
Manhattan: Carmen Huertas Arraigned in Fatal Hudson Parkway Crash (City Room, Post)
Manhattan: Ex-Cop, Reporter Gets Slap on the Wrist for DWI Wreck (Gothamist)
Manhattan Times Details Last Week's Washington Heights Motorcyclist Fatality
Queens: Cyclist Victim's Mom Continues Quest for Bike Lane on Queens Boulevard (News)
Staten Island: "Rule of Two" at Play in Arraignment for Fatal Collision (Advance)
Bronx: Bereaved Family Sues Over Hearse Explosion; Post Finds the Funny
Yorktown: Man Pleads to Menacing in 2008 Fatal Crash (LoHud)
Freeport, LI: Man Gets Up to 15 Years for 2008 Fatal DWI Crash (Newsday)
Mineola, LI: Repeat DWI Offender Sentenced to 7-21 Years for Killing Student (AP)
Schuler Taconic Crash, Other "DWI Mom" Stories Profiled on "Oprah" (Newsday)
Orange, CT: Police Audio Released From Cop-Involved Crash That Killed 2 (CT Post)

Photo: CNN

Out of Town

Sparks, NV: Couple Awakes to Find Themselves Pinned Under Car (CNN)
Martinez, CA: Pedestrian Ripped Apart on Interstate After Hit-and-Run (KPIX)
Boise, ID: Mentally Ill Man Plows Truck Into Motorcycle Cops (AP)
Hill 'N Dale, FL: Ped Fatally Struck By Three Drivers; One Flees Scene (Times)
Reed City, MI: 20-Month-Old Run Down, Killed in Driveway (Cadillac News)
Philadelphia: Cab Driver Convicted in Hit-and-Run Killing of 5-Year-Old Pedestrian (Philly Inq)
Providence, RI: Man Hits 3 Peds, Drives a Mile With One Clinging to Windshield (AP)
Canterbury, Australia: Ped Bridge Elevator Fails, Elderly Man Killed Trying to Cross (SMH)
London: Cop Gets 6.5 Years for Killing Woman During 107 MPH "Joyride" (Times)
Dallas, TX: Bus Crash That Killed 17 Called "Perfect Storm of Gross Negligence" (AP)

Photo: NYT

Trends and Other News

Halloween Especially Scary for Pedestrians (USA Today, Consumer Reps, Times, Missourian, Reuters)
Cy Vance Kicks Off Instructive, Sobering Vehicular Crime Legal Forum (Streetsblog)
Child Deaths Prompt News Call for Tougher Drunk Driving Laws
NYPD Makes 24-Hour "Extra Effort" to Ticket Cellphone-Using Drivers (City Room)
Sustained DWI Crackdown in Brooklyn's 84th Precinct Sees Drop in Other Crimes (Post)
Freakonomics: Cab Driver Attrition, Poor Working Conditions Lead to Reckless Driving
New York Motorists Don't Give a Damn About Your Kid (WTEN)
Florida Dominates "Worst Places to Walk" List (Orlando Sentinel)
Las Vegas Ped Fatalities Down Amid Crosswalk Stings (KVBC)
New, Weaker Distracted Driving Bill Surfaces in U.S. Senate (Streetsblog Cap Hill)
Car-Mounted Cameras Could Help Inattentive Drivers Avoid Hitting People (AP)
"Crash-Proof" Cars: Good or Bad? (Streetsblog)
Ohio Bike Blogger Kevin Kimmich: When in Doubt, Shout (Monster Pull)
Children Made to Salute Cars in Huangping, China; Is It All That Different From This? (NYT)

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

The Weekly Carnage

Brad Aaron — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:49:48 +0000

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.

Photo: Newsday

Fatal Crashes (17 Killed This Week, 227 This Year*, 22 Drivers Charged**)

Staten Island: Man Crushed to Death By His Own SUV (News, Advance)
Manhattan: East Village Collision Leaves One Dead (Streetsblog)
Manhattan, Queens: 3 Motorcyclists Dead in Separate Crashes (AP)
Queens: Unidentified Pedestrian Killed in Corona (Gothamist)
Shirley, LI: Drunk Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Pedestrian; Not Charged for Death (Newsday 1, 2)
Yaphank, LI: Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Ped; Tells Cops He Thought Man Was a Deer (Newsday)
Yaphank, LI: 1 Killed in Collision Involving Family of 911 Dispatcher (Newsday 1, 2)
Deer Park, LI: Elderly Man Dies After Crash Possibly Precipitated by Health Emergency (Newsday)
Ronkokoma, LI: Man Dies in Collision With Tractor-Trailer (Newsday)
Danbury, CT: Teen Killed, 3 Injured in One-Vehicle Crash (CT Post)
Bethany, CT: 3 Killed When Car Hits Tree (CT Post)
New Brunswick, NJ: 15-Year-Old Pedestrian Struck; No Charges (S-L)
Millburn, NJ: 19-Year-Old Dead in Single-Car Crash (S-L, The Local 1, 2)
Branchburg, NJ: Man Slits Own Throat, Flips Car After Police Stop (Somerset Rep)***

Photo: The Uptowner

Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage

Manhattan: NYPD Van Strikes Pedestrian; Post Blames Anarchic "Pedestrian Culture"
Manhattan: TEA Altercation Ends in Driver Arrest, Accusation of Agent Assault (Gothamist)
Manhattan: Dirt Bike Riders Tear Through Harlem; Cops at a Loss (Uptowner)
Bronx: NYPD Officer Accused of Hitting Pregnant Woman's Car, Leaving Scene (Gothamist)
Staten Island: Officer Injured When Hit-and-Run Driver Strikes NYPD Cruiser (Advance)
Eastchester: Woman Hits 15-Year-Old Girl, Leaves Her in Street (LoHud)
Southhold, NY: Man Picking Up His DWI Girlfriend at Police Station Arrested for DWI (LoHud)
Southampton, LI: Passenger Arrested for Traffic Stop Tirade (Newsday)
Melville, LI: Multiple-Car Crash Paralyzes LIE (Newsday)
Greenwich, CT: Man Hits Pedestrian, Charged With DWI (CT Post)
Rahway, NJ: Child Hit, Hospitalized With Head Injuries (NJLN)
Cranford, NJ: Unlicensed Driver Nailed for Warrants During Crosswalk Sting (Chron)
Paterson, NJ: Fire Truck, Car Collision Injures 2 (S-L)

Following Up

Manhattan: NYPD Sgt. Indicted for Critically Injuring UES Pedestrian in June (NYT, Post)
Manhattan: Accused DWI Mom Carmen Huertas Indicted for Fatal Crash (AP, Post)
Brooklyn: Al Sharpton Keeping an Eye on Andrew Kelly Case (Gothamist)
Staten Island: Driver Killed in Backhoe Collision Identified (Advance)
Daily News: People Who Block Parking Spots Deserve to Die (Streetsblog)
Hiram Monserrate: I'm No Worse Than John Sabini (News)
"Law & Order" to Dramatize Taconic Wrong-Way Crash; Families Object (Post, Post)
Nassau Co.: Guardrail Will Be Installed After Fatal Wantagh Bike Path Crash (Newsday)
Bayonne, NJ: School Bus Driver Ticketed for Critically Injuring Pedestrian (Jersey Jrnl)
Summit, NJ: Driver Found at Fault for Ped Death; No Criminal Charges (Indy Press)
Elizabeth, NJ: Man Pleads Guilty in Crash That Injured Officer; Could Get 30 Years (S-L)

Photo: Jalopnik

Out of Town

Milo, NY: Worker Killed When Truck Driver Crashes Into Boathouse (AP)
Flagstaff, AZ: Hit-and-Run Road Rager Intentionally Runs Down Pedestrian (Daily Sun)
Skippack, PA: Pedestrian Hit, Hospitalized, Ticketed for Jaywalking (Reporter)
Baltimore, MD: Man Hit and Killed; Police Cite "Pedestrian Error" (Sun)
Portland, OR: Driver Said to Be Chasing Skater Flips SUV in Park (Jalopnik)
Caldwell, ID: Woman Crushed to Death By Garage Door at Paramedics Station (AP)
Santa Ana, CA: 75-Year-Old Gets 9 Months for Killing 89-Year-Old Ped in Grisly Parking Lot Crash (AP)
Los Angeles: Trial of "Dr. Road Rage" Underway (Streetsblog LA)
Los Angeles: "Sarah Connor Chronicles" Actor Thomas Dekker Hits Cyclist, Charged With DUI (S-L)
Cleveland: Browns CB Eric Wright Uninjured After Flipping Car (AP)

Trends and Other News

TA, TSTC to Host Vehicular Homicide Symposium, Featuring Cy Vance (Streetsblog 1, 2)
Daily News: Distracted Cab Drivers Are Only a Problem for Their Passengers (Streetsblog)
Brooklyn CB 10 Wants DOT Study of Crash-Plagued Bay Ridge Intersection (Post)
Will No-Nonsense Nassau DA Kathleen Rice Run for Attorney General? (Daily Politics)
Jon Stewart Rips CNN for Driver-Distracting Cellphone App (Zimbio)
Cellphone Users Too Dazed to Notice Clown Riding Unicycle (Well)
Hummer Drivers Get Five Times as Many Tickets as Nat'l Average (Consumer Reports)
Ford Recalls 4.5M Vehicles Due to Fire Risk; Crown Vics Not on the List (Consumerist)
Westfield, NJ, Mayoral Candidates Campaign on Safer Streets (S-L)
Boston Globe Continues Anti-"Jaywalking" Media Blitz
San Francisco Embarks on New Ped Safety Initiative (Streetsblog SF)
Deaf and Blind Pedestrians Get Attention From Minnesota Transpo Officials (Star Trib)
In Columbia, MO, It Will Soon Be Illegal to Throw Things at People in Wheelchairs (KBIA)
Instead of Criminalizing Walking, Cities Should Make It Safer (Car-Free in Big D)

* Since the week of June 8
** Drivers charged for deaths since the week of June 8, based on latest available reports
*** This incident is not reflected in the "Fatal Crashes" tally

Eyes on the Street: Crash Aftermath on First Avenue [Updated]

Ben Fried — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:22:39 +0000

A reader sent in this picture of the scene at First Avenue and 4th Street in Manhattan this morning. I won't speculate too much about what sheared the roof off this minivan or what happened to the people involved. Perhaps the car was pried open deliberately to rescue those inside. Details are scarce: An investigation is underway, according to the Gothamist newsmap, and we have a request in with NYPD for more information.

Update: A police spokesman tells Gothamist that a 55-year-old woman was killed after this minivan collided with a delivery van. No one else was injured, apparently, and no one has been charged. We've also received an unconfirmed report that this was a T-bone collision in which the minivan ran the light.

Daily News: Is There a Person in Your Parking Spot? Kill Them.

Brad Aaron — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:16:15 +0000

Ke Hai Du. Photo: Daily News

Checkmate.

In the unofficial battle for the most irresponsible, over-the-top media endorsement of motorist entitlement, the Daily News took the trophy this morning, declaring that drivers are within their rights to run down human beings who stand between their vehicles and on-street parking.

Under an arguably racist headline, News editors claim that sushi chef Ke Hai Du got what he deserved when motorist Paul Todd hit him with his car during a dispute over a Lower Manhattan parking spot on October 9. According to reports, as Du stood in a space to hold it for his boss, Todd nudged his Lincoln into Du's knees, then ran over his foot, breaking it.

To many people accustomed to the norms of civilized society, this would seem a clear case of assault, if not something more serious. But to the News it's a game, which the victim rightfully lost when he challenged the "finders keepers" rule -- or, as News editors put it, "a basic and inviolable tenet of the universe."

What Du did is right up there with stealing a taxi from the person who hailed it, or bringing 15 items to the "10 items or less" register, or stopping at the top of a subway stairway to read e-mail, or backing up in an E-ZPass lane.

The lesson is clear: Park your carcass in a parking space, and you may end up as road kill.

Somehow Todd -- who at the scene reportedly said he "would do it again" -- escaped charges, though Du is suing him for $5 million. "I guess vehicular assaults are okay these days," Du's attorney told the News.

Indeed they are. And as for the rest of us, the next time someone annoys you with a social faux pas -- exiting a bus from the front door, say, or letting their dog's leash stretch across the sidewalk in front of you -- express your outrage through the use of deadly force. The Daily News will have your back.

The Weekly Carnage

Brad Aaron — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:55:01 +0000

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.

Photo: Daily News

Fatal Crashes (9 Killed This Week, 210 This Year*, 22 Drivers Charged**)

Manhattan: 11-Year-Old Dies When Drunk Mom Flips Car on Henry Hudson (News 1, 2, NYT 1, 2)
Related: Driver Carmen Huertas on Suicide Watch; Vic's Father Says Death Is Too Good (News)
Brooklyn: Drunk Driver Blows Red Light, Kills Chernobyl Survivor; Charged With Homicide (News, NYT)
Staten Island: Motorist Dies After Slamming Into Parked Backhoe (Advance)
Bethpage, LI: 1 Dead, 1 Hurt in Two-Car Crash; Police Look for Third Driver (Newsday)
Danbury, CT: Passenger Killed in DWI Crash; More Charges Expected for Driver (CT Post)
Raritan, NJ: Pedestrian Hit Attempting to Cross Suburban "Highway" (Hunterdon CD)
Fairfield, NJ: Pedestrian Hit by Truck Driver (NJLN)
Washington, NJ: Woman Killed After Driving Into Tree (NJLN)
Kingwood, NJ: Motorcyclist Riding With Friends Hits Guardrail (Hunterdon CD)

Photo: Daily News

Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage

Gothamist Newsmap: 8 Peds Struck in Last 7 Days, Including TEA (Gothamist 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Brooklyn: Mom Loses Control of Car While Parking, Plunges Into Sheepshead Bay (News, Advance)
Manhattan: Pedestrian Pinned Under Bus Prompts Post Lecture on "Jaywalking"
Manhattan: Driver Rolls Car on Inwood Street (Jewyorican)
Brooklyn: Bus Hits 6 Cars, Injuring 12; Driver Cites Stuck Accelerator (News)
Staten Island: SIE Crash Injures 1, Inconveniences Others (Advance)
Spring Valley, NY: Woman Hit, Seriously Hurt by Driver in Supermarket Parking Lot (LoHud)
Mount Pleasant, NY: Man Stopped for Doing 120 on Taconic Parkway (AP)
Hempstead, LI: Drunk Hit-and-Run Suspect Caught Changing Flat Tire (Newsday)
Hempstead, LI: Driver in DWI Bust Wanted for Murder in California (AP)
10 DWI Arrests in Westchester, Putnam Counties Last Weekend (LoHud)
Greenport, LI: Cyclist Hit by Stop-Sign-Running Driver Airlifted to Hospital (Newsday)
Middle Island, LI: Drunk Driver Plows Into Outdoor Bar Patio, Seriously Injuring 2 (Newsday)
Suffolk Co.: Recidivist on Probation for Fatal Crash Caught Driving Without License (Newsday)
Nesconset, LI: Crash Leaves 2 Vehicles Overturned, Injures 3 (Newsday)
Newark: Suspects Fleeing Police Hit Second Cruiser (S-L)
Jersey City: Car-School Bus Collision Puts 10 in Hospital (Jersey Jrnl)
Elizabeth, NJ: Unlicensed Minivan Driver Hits Baby Stroller, Slams Into Store (S-L)
New Milford, CT: Road Worker Hit, Injured; Driver Flees Scene (CT Post)

Following Up

Officer Andrew Kelly Indicted for Manslaughter in DWI Killing (City Room, Post)
Axel Pablo's Killer Loses Hack License; TLC Pledges Cell Phone Crackdown (News, Post)
Sentencing of Auvryn Scarlett Delayed (Teletext)
News Files Late Report on Death of Queens Pedestrian Angela Ambrose
Sole Taconic Wrong-Way Crash Survivor on the Mend (Post)
Cortlandt, NY: Man Charged With Manslaughter for Fatal September DWI Crash (LoHud)

Out of Town

Ballston Spa, NY: Former Rep. John Sweeney Loses License for Refusing Sobriety Test (AP)
Pomfret, NY: Rental Truck Driver Tries to Skirt Train Crossing Gate; 3 Dead (AP)
Port St. Lucie, FL: Queens Woman Nabbed in 110-MPH Chase With Daughter in Van (News)
Tampa, FL: Mother, 2 Kids Hit Crossing Street (AP)
San Francisco: Cyclist Snaps, Posts Photo of Hit-and-Run Driver Plate (jwz)
Redwood City, CA: Dump Truck Driver Kills Cyclist; Claims No Knowledge of Crash (Sblog SF)
Springdale, AR: 22-Month-Old Killed by 12-Year-Old Brother Attempting to Move Minivan (AP)
Bismarck, ND: Truck Carrying ICBM Parts Crashes When Driver Distracted by Bug (AP)
Washington, DC: Emerging U.S. Soccer Star Charlie Davies Injured in Fatal Crash (News)
Pittsburgh, PA: Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks Uninjured in Film Shoot Collision (Entertainment Daily)

Trends

New York, San Francisco Columnists Wage Anti-Pedestrian Offensive (Streetsblog NYC, SF)
For Some Idea of What Walking Is Like, "New York" Post Editors Should Watch This Streetfilm
Assembly Member Wants to Calm Broadway-Amsterdam "Bowtie" (Gothamist)
Gov. Paterson Lobbied for Street Safety Improvements (LIBN)
Paterson Seeks Penalties for Truckers Who Drive Where They Shouldn't (AP)
New Jersey Ped Fatalities Up 33 Percent; Advos Petition Corzine for Complete Streets (S-L, APP)
NJ State Troopers Will Target Tailgaters -- for Two Weeks (AP)
Why Is Traffic Enforcement Often Limited to "Special Occasions"? (Tulsa Examiner)
Study: Vigorous Ticketing Has Reduced Distracted Driving in D.C. (WaPo)

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

The Weekly Carnage

Brad Aaron — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:02:14 +0000

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.

Fatal Crashes (11 Killed This Week, 201 This Year*, 20 Drivers Charged**)

Manhattan: Elderly Harlem Man Hit by NYPD Cruiser (Post, News, NY1)
Queens: Teen Pedestrians Struck by SUV Driver; 1 Dead, 1 Critical; "No Criminality Suspected" (AP)
Queens: Livery Driver Crushed Changing Flat Tire (News)
Kent, NY: Motorcyclists Hit Pick-up; 1 Dead (LoHud)
Greenwich, CT: Motorcyclist Killed in Car Collision (CT Post)
Livingston, NJ: Mother, Daughter Struck in Crosswalk; 1 Dead (Star-Ledger, The Local)
Summit, NJ: Woman Walking Dog Hit by Livery Driver (Indy Press)
Elizabeth, NJ: Teen Pedestrian Struck (Star-Ledger)
Parsippany, NJ: New York Post Employee Rear-Ends Tractor-Trailer, Killed (NJLN)
Wall, NJ: Man Killed in Collision With Unlicensed Hit-and Run Driver (Star-Ledger)
Hopewell, NJ: Driver Killed in One-Car Crash (Times)

Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage

Queens: 17-Year-Old Plows Into Bus Stop, Injures 6, Instantly Pardoned by NYPD (Streetsblog)
Manhattan: Yellow Cabbie, Pedicabbie in Midtown Street Brawl (Streetsblog)
Brooklyn: Serious Two-Car Collision at Grand Army Plaza (B'stoner)
Staten Island: Unlicensed Drunk Driver Crashes Into 3 Cars, Injuring 2 (Advance)
Staten Island: Dead Deer Spotted on SIE (Advance)
Yonkers: Corrections Officer Charged With DWI, Fired After Collision With Firefighter (LoHud)
Yonkers: "Wandering" Truck Driver Hits Bronx River Parkway Overpass (LoHud)
Scarsdale: Police Look for Driver in Cyclist Hit-and-Run (LoHud)
Hoboken: Elderly Woman Hit by Delivery Van Driver (Jersey Jrnl)
Holtsville, LI: Man Critical After Slamming Into Police Cruiser; Charged With DWI (Newsday)
New Hyde Park, LI: Drunk Father Drives Onto Sidewalk of Son's School (Newsday)
Stamford, CT: Man Arrested When 11-Year-Old Son Crashes Idling Car (CT Post)
Danbury, CT: Passenger Seriously Injured in One-Car DWI Crash (CT Post)
Jackson, NJ: Pick-up Driver Rear-Ends School Bus, Injuring 6 (Star-Ledger)
Somerville, NJ: Hit-and-Run Leads to Drug Arrest (Somerset Reporter)

Following Up

Brooklyn: Grand Jury Opens Investigation Into Cop Killing of Vionique Valnord (Bklyn Eagle, Post)
Related: Family in Anguish; Media Obsesses Over Whether Andrew Kelly Gave CPR (Gothamist 1, 2)
Related: Fellow Ped-Killing Cop Offers Advice, Empathy From Jail (Post)
Queens: Friends Memorialize James Langergaard With Queens Blvd. Ghost Bike (News, Post)
Staten Island: Man Pleads Guilty in NYPD Chase Crash That Killed Husband and Wife (Advance)
Staten Island: City Settles With Owner of Car Damaged by Fire Truck (Advance)
Schuler Taconic Crash Attorney Works the Media, Family Calls for Grand Jury (Post, Newsday)
New Haven: 2 Sentenced for Leaving Companion to Die After Motorcycle Crash (CT Post)

Out of Town

Green Valley, AZ: Motorist Takes Plea in Cyclist Death, Fined $254 (Tuscon Bike Lawyer)
Cambridge, MA: Lawmaker With 2 DWI Convictions Flees Scene of Latest Crash (AP)
Lanham, MD: Unlicensed Driver Getting Lesson From Unlicensed Driver Crashes Into Apartment (AP)
Ephrata, WA: Woman Reaching for Phone Crashes, Killing 6-Year-Old Daughter (AP)
Marin County, CA: Woman Accused of Using 13-Year-Old Son as Designated Driver (SF Chron)
Talladega, AL: Fences to Be Heightened After NASCAR Crash Injures Fans (AP)
Hereford, MS: Baltimore Sun Editor Killed in Collision With UPS Truck (AP)
Paramus, NJ: Hip-Hop Producer Charged After Fatal Parking Lot Hit-and-Run (AP)
Beverly Hills, CA: Nicole Richie Injured in Collision With Unlicensed Paparazzi (Post)
Los Angeles: Mel Gibson's Anti-Semitic DWI Episode Expunged (Post)

Photo: Staten Island Advance

Trends

Pedestrians and Cyclists Now Make Up Nearly Two-Thirds of City Traffic Fatalities (MTR)
Fearing for Kids' Lives, SI Residents Turn to Homemade Speed Bumps (Advance, NY1)
Car Makers Use "Smart" Gas Pedals to Curb Unintended Acceleration (Wheels)
Fleeing the Scene Pays for Drunken California Drivers (BikingInLA)
Can Laws and Technology Save Us From TWD? (News, NYT)

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

When It Comes to Vehicular Violence, NYPD Sees No Evil

Brad Aaron — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:30:06 +0000

See any victims here? Neither does NYPD. Photo: Daily News

Wednesday morning in Douglaston, Queens, an out-of-control driver plowed into a small crowd of commuters waiting for a Q30 bus. Witnesses say the as-yet-unidentified motorist, 17, was attempting to pass another vehicle when he lost control on rain-slicked Douglaston Parkway and jumped the curb. Reports vary, but of the approximately half-dozen people hit, several suffered serious injuries. Some victims were knocked through the back wall of the shelter, shattering the glass.

Despite the carnage and eyewitness accounts, none of which appear contradictory, NYPD told the Queens Courier the driver would face no charges:

According to police, the driver "had a clean license;" he was neither arrested nor issued any summons. “We weren’t there to witness an infraction,” the police source said.

This case again plainly exposes the hypocrisy in how city law enforcers handle cases involving drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, depending on the identity of the "victim."

Recall that Queens pedestrian Max Kim-Bee was criminally charged earlier this year after a driver who nearly ran him down said Kim-Bee somehow damaged his car. This arrest, which occurred several hours after the incident, was based solely on the driver's claims to police. Not only were no cops present, there were no corroborating witnesses.

So: Bloody bodies littering the ground yards away from a smashed automobile? Nothing NYPD can do. A pedestrian injured your car, you say? The cops are on the case.

Imagine all crimes were treated this way. "I'm sorry your son was murdered, ma'am, but since we didn't witness an infraction, there's really nothing to investigate." Or, "There were no police officers in the area when the crane fell, prosecutors said, and no charges are expected in light of the operator's clean record."

A grisly scene. Multiple innocent victims disfigured. Lives disrupted. Families terrorized. How on earth, Ray Kelly, does this not qualify as violent crime?

Midtown Road Rage Eruption: Is This the Best We Can Do?

Brad Aaron — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:38:18 +0000

We linked to a story in this morning's headlines about yesterday's brawl between a yellow cab driver and a pedicab operator in midtown. A Fox 5 reporter on the scene covering the sex scandal du jour caught the whole thing on video. Via Gothamist, here it is.

It looks like the pedicab driver, tired of being honked at by the cabbie, throws his coffee at the taxi as the two exchange words. Not the most conciliatory course of action, to be sure, but the cab driver then raises the stakes considerably, accelerating and slamming into the pedicab. The pedicab operator hits the taxi with both fists, the cab driver exits the vehicle, and a street brawl ensues in the middle of the intersection of Broadway and 53rd.

The pedicab operator eventually throws a trash can at the cab driver, then pedals away. The cab driver sticks around to talk to police. You can't hear what they're saying, but at one point he appears to be pointing to damage to his cab. As with other drivers who've attacked cyclists and pedestrians with their vehicles recently, it's doubtful he 'fessed up to instigating the collision himself.

From a livable streets perspective, there's a lot to digest here. Consider this an open thread on incivility, street space hierarchy, vehicular violence, pedicabs and yellow cabs, or whatever strikes you about this pathetic episode.

The Weekly Carnage

Brad Aaron — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:41:29 +0000

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.

Off-duty NYPD officer Andrew Kelly refused breath and blood tests after killing 33-year-old pedestrian Vionique Valnord.

Fatal Crashes (11 Killed This Week, 190 This Year*, 20 Drivers Charged**)

Brooklyn: Off-Duty Cop Kills Pedestrian, Charged With DWI, Manslaughter (NYT, Post, Post)
Related: DWI Evidence Compromised; Cover-Up Suspected (News 1, 2, 3, Post, NYT)
Related: Defense Says Andrew Kelly Saved Dead Woman's Life (Post, Post)
Manhattan: Pedestrian Struck, Killed; Driver Charged With DWI, Manslaughter (Post, MT)
Yonkers: Unlicensed Driver Crashes on Bronx River Pkwy., Killing Passenger (LoHud)
Bay Shore, LI: 2 Pedestrians, Parents of 4-Month-Old, Hit and Killed; No Charges (Newsday 1, 2)
Motorcyclist Collides With Truck, Hit by Car on LI's Southern State Parkway; Drivers Flee (Newsday)
Coram, LI: Driver Dies in One-Car Crash (Newsday)
Ocean Twp., NJ: Cyclist Struck Crossing Road; Investigation Ongoing (Star-Ledger)
Woodbridge, NJ: Motorcyclist Flips Harley, Dies at Hospital (Star-Ledger)
Summit, NJ: Driver Killed in One-Car Crash (Indy Press)
Rahway, NJ: Teen Rams SUV Into Light Pole (Star-Ledger)

At least one was hurt in this Sept. 29 cab crash in the West Village, reports New York Daily Photo

Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage

Brooklyn: 12-Year-Old Girl Critically Injured by Hit-and-Run Driver (Post, News, NY1)
Related: Family Says Driver Ran Over Victim Second Time Fleeing Scene (Post)
Brooklyn: Unlicensed Driver Leaves Woman Critical (News)
Brooklyn: Pedestrian Hit by Drunk Driver Severely Injured; Multiple Charges Filed (News)
Brooklyn: Express Bus, Car Collide; No Injuries Reported (Advance)
Manhattan: Fuel Truck Hits Scaffolding; Hazmat Team Dispatched (Gothamist)
Staten Island: Truck Blaze Destroys 9/11 Memorial Race Gear (Advance)
Staten Island: Driver Flips Vehicle on Hylan Blvd.; 2 Injured (Advance)
Midwood, LI: 10-Year-Old Hit by Driver, Critical But Stable; No Charges (Post)
Cold Spring Harbor, LI: EMT, Cop Rescue Man from Submerged SUV (Newsday)
Yonkers: Man Bitten Trying to Stop Woman From Fleeing Crash Site (LoHud)
Piermont, NY: Man Plows Car Into House (LoHud)
Pomona, NY: Two-Car Collision Injures 5, Both Drivers Critical (LoHud)
Newtown, CT: Speeding Driver Flips Minivan, Injuring Self, 3 Kids (CT Post)
Seymour, CT: Single-Vehicle Crash Ends With Car in River (CT Post)
Jersey City: Pedestrian Seriously Injured in Hit-and-Run (Jersey Jrnl)
Jersey City: Man Crashes Into School; Charged With DWI (Jersey Jrnl)
Fairfield, NJ: Drunk Teen Drives SUV Into House, Setting It on Fire (Star-Ledger)
Linden, NJ: 2 Injured When Driver Hits SUV on Shoulder of NJ Turnpike (AP)
Woodbridge, NJ: Truck Breaks Sound Barrier, Bursts Into Flames on Tpk. (NJLN)

Out of Town

Cambria, NY: 2 Die in Rural in One-Car Crash; Speeding Suspected (AP)
Providence, RI: Man Bites Off Ear of Ex-Girlfriend's Date, 6-Year-Old Son Run Over (AP)
Phoenix, AZ: Mother, 3 Kids Struck by Hit-and-Run Driver; 1 Child Killed (AP)
Athens, GA: Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Death of Child Cyclist in DWI Hit-and-Run (AP)
Toms River, NJ: Comedian Artie Lange Pleads Guilty in DUI Crash (AP)
Ventura, CA: "Pulp Fiction" Writer Roger Avary Gets 1 Year for DUI Death (AP)

Photo: Staten Island Advance

Trends

News: Despite Vasean's Law, Kelly Case Exposes Continued Injustice of NY DWI Procedures
For Cops Accused of DWI, Refusing Breath and Blood Tests a No-Brainer (Advance)
NYPD Hopes to Calm Staten Island School Zone Chaos (Advance)
Obama Admin Bans Gov't Workers From TWD; Federal Bans Forthcoming (Streetsblog Cap Hill)
Motorists Defend, Rationalize Distracted Driving (NYT)
Toyota Recalls 3.8M Vehicles for Accelerator-Engaging Floor Mats (NYT)
NHTSA: Quiet Hybrids More Dangerous to Cyclists (NY Examiner)

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

The Weekly Carnage

Brad Aaron — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:44:49 +0000

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.

Photo: Daily News

Fatal Crashes (15 Killed This Week, 179 This Year*, 18 Drivers Charged**)

Brooklyn: Two Dead in Motorcyclist, Cyclist Collision (The Local 1, 2)
BQE: Off-Duty NYPD Detective Killed After Rear-Ending Garbage Truck (News)
Bronx: 20-Year-Old Crushed Changing His Oil (AP)
Staten Island: 1 Killed in Suspected DWI Crash; Driver Charged With Homicide (News, Advance 1, 2, 3)
East Meadow, LI: Man Charged With Manslaughter Following Fatal DWI Collision (Newsday)
Holmes, NY: Speeding Teen Dies in One-Car Crash (LoHud 1, 2)
Derby, Shelton, CT: 2 Dead in Separate Motorcycle Crashes (CT Post)
New Canaan, CT: Motorcyclist Succumbs to Injuries One Week After Crash (CT Post)
East Brunswick, NJ: Elderly Driver Collides With Garbage Truck; 3 Dead (NJLN)
Toms River, NJ: 1 Killed in Two-Car Crash; Unlicensed Driver Charged (Star-Ledger)
Tinton Falls, NJ: Motorcyclist Hits Cement Divider (Star-Ledger)

Photo: Newsday

Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage

Manhattan: 6-Year-Old Hit by SUV Driver, Hospitalized; No Charges (Post)
Manhattan: Cab Driver Plows Into Horse Carriage; Two Injured (Streetsblog)
Queens: Woman Hit by Q65 Bus (News)
Queens: School Bus Driver Accused of Drunk Driving (AP)
Staten Island: Man Charged With DWI, Leaving Scene After Hitting Parked Car (Advance)
Staten Island: Driver With Two Flat Tires Arrested for DWI (Advance)
Yonkers: Man Hits 12 Parked Cars, Charged With DWI (LoHud)
Cortlandt, NY: Woman Found Drunk After Leaving Scene of One-Car Taconic Crash (LoHud)
Kent, NY: Ambulance Crashes Into Trees; Driver, Patient Injured (LoHud)
Medford, LI: 11-Year-Old Critically Injured Cycling Home to Feed Cat; No Charges (Newsday 1, 2)
West Babylon, LI: Police Cruiser Collision Sends Car Into House (Newsday)
Valley Stream, LI: Shoplifting Suspects Drive SUV Into Guards, Injuring 2 (Newsday)
North Hills, LI: Crash Involving Dump Truck, Four Cars Closes Eastbound LIE (Newsday)
Hempstead, LI: Atlanta Olympics Champ Charged With DWI (AP)
Southbury, CT: 5-Year-Old Critical After School Bus-Car Collision (CT Post)
Milford, CT: 73-Year-Old Pedestrian Struck, Injured by 17-Year-Old Driver (CT Post)

Following Up

Manhattan: Truck Driver Convicted of Murder in 2008 Tourist Deaths (Streetsblog)
Rockland Co.: Bronx Asst. Principal With DWI Charge Says She Was Just Drowsy (AP)
East Meadow, LI: Police ID Escalade Model in Fatal Hit-and-Run (Newsday)
Dix Hills, LI: State Considering Wantagh Bike Path Improvements After Summer Fatality (Newsday)
Stamford, CT: Man Pleads Guilty in Fatal DWI Ped Collision (CT Post)
Stamford, CT: Man Charged With Felony Assault in June Crash (CT Post)
Summit, NJ: Teen Gets 10 Years for Killing Girlfriend in High-Speed Wreck (NJ.com)

Photo: AP/NYT

Out of Town

Buffalo: Pedestrian Pinned Against Parked Minivan, Loses Leg (AP)
Camden, NJ: Former Boxer Tony Thornton Dies After Motorcycle Crash (Philly Inq.)
Atlanta, GA: Motorists Swept Away, Killed by Floodwaters (NYT)
Atlantic Beach, SC: State Rep Calls for Mayor's Ouster After DWI Arrest (AP)
Sunnyside, WA: Bollards Save Girl From Out-of-Control Driver (Post Video)
Littleville, AL: Severely Injured Teen Trapped Overnight After Crash (AP)
Waukegan, IL: Woman Indicted for Causing Fatal Crash While Painting Her Nails (AP)
Wilsonville, OR: Nine Injured in Crash Involving Two Dozen Motorcyclists (AP)
Milan, Italy: British Team Cyclist in Coma After Scooter Crash (Reuters)

Trends

KY Blogger Marvels at Even-Handed Coverage of CO Cyclist Crashes (Barry's BB)
Obama Admin Expected to Act on Truck, Bus Driver Cell Phone Ban (AP)
Do Tweeting State DOTs Encourage Distracted Driving? (AP)
White House Puts Trucking Lobbyist in Charge of Truck Safety (Streetsblog Cap Hill)
NYT Op-Ed: Despite Progress, Drunk Driving Remains a Prevalent "Cultural Misdemeanor"
Might Car Safety Features Soon Protect Those Outside the Vehicle? (NY Examiner)

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