“Brooklyn Hit-and-Run by Tractor-Trailer Raises Questions About NYPD’s Response”

On September 19, 2025, tragedy struck at the intersection of Eastern Parkway and Schenectady Avenue in Crown Heights, when a tractor-trailer fatally struck 69-year-old Deborah Koonce. According to the NYPD, the driver of the 18-wheeler fled the scene, leaving the pedestrian to be pronounced dead on site.

Days later, police tracked the truck and its 50-year-old driver to Mine Hill, New Jersey—roughly 50 miles away. Yet despite locating the individual behind the wheel, authorities declined to make an arrest, citing the driver’s claim that he did not realize he had struck a pedestrian. The investigation is said to be ongoing.

Trucks Banned from Eastern Parkway

This case raises serious legal and safety concerns. Tractor-trailers are not permitted on Eastern Parkway. City regulations restrict large trucks to specific expressways, precisely because streets like Eastern Parkway are not designed to handle their size and weight. In this case, the truck was unlawfully traveling on a roadway where it should never have been.

Whether or not the driver intended to flee the scene, operating an 18-wheeler in a prohibited zone and killing a pedestrian should trigger accountability under both criminal and civil law. Families deserve answers when drivers disregard restrictions put in place to protect the public.

Hit-and-Run Laws and Accountability

Under New York law, drivers are required to remain at the scene of any crash that results in injury or death. Claiming ignorance of the impact is not an automatic defense. Commercial truck drivers undergo training to recognize blind spots, braking distances, and roadway restrictions. The failure to perceive a collision of this magnitude raises questions about attentiveness, fatigue, and compliance with safety rules.

Moreover, federal trucking regulations and insurance requirements exist to protect victims. If law enforcement hesitates to act, civil litigation may be the only avenue for justice.

A Family in Mourning

Ms. Koonce’s daughter has established a GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses. In her statement, she noted that her mother had been residing at a nearby supportive housing facility, which allowed her to leave unsupervised. What was intended as a routine early-morning walk ended in devastating loss.

She was also the second pedestrian killed on Eastern Parkway this year, highlighting a dangerous pattern that demands stronger enforcement of truck restrictions.

Legal Perspective from New York Truck Accident Lawyers

As truck accident lawyers in New York, we have seen far too many lives cut short when large vehicles operate where they do not belong. Trucking companies and drivers must be held accountable when they break route restrictions and cause fatalities. Civil claims can not only provide compensation to grieving families but also push for systemic changes that make our streets safer.

If you or a loved one has been harmed in a  truck accident in New York City, it is critical to seek immediate legal guidance. Our attorneys at Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf have decades of experience holding negligent truck drivers and their employers responsible.

📞 Call 212-943-1090 today for a consultation with a top-rated New York truck accident attorney.