Articles Posted in Pedestrian Accidents
NYPD Cracks Down on Cyclists While Letting Dangerous Drivers Slide, Advocates Say
As NYC car accident lawyers who have spent decades representing the victims of reckless driving, we are deeply troubled by the NYPD’s current enforcement priorities.
According to recent data, NYPD officers issued 13% fewer traffic tickets to motorists between April and June 2025 — even as criminal summonses against cyclists skyrocketed. Criminal court summonses (C summonses) against bike and e-bike riders surged from approximately 600 before the spring crackdown to nearly 6,000. Meanwhile, traffic tickets for motorists dropped by over 20,000 in the same timeframe.
This shift in enforcement is not only unjustified — it’s dangerously misguided.
Who Is Liable When a Stolen Rental Car Kills a Pedestrian and Cyclist in NYC?
Legal options for families after the Chinatown tragedy involving an overdue Enterprise vehicle
The tragic crash that unfolded in Manhattan’s Chinatown last Saturday morning has left New Yorkers shaken—and two families in mourning. According to police and prosecutors, a stolen blue Chevy Malibu, overdue by 17 days from an Enterprise Rent-A-Car, was speeding through the streets when it struck and killed 63-year-old pedestrian May Kwok and 63-year-old cyclist Kevin Scott Cruickshank before crashing into an NYPD van.
The vehicle was reportedly filled with drugs, alcohol, and an illegal gun stashed in the trunk. Surveillance footage shows the horrifying moment the stolen vehicle mowed down the victims. The driver, Autumn Donna Ascencio Romero, 23, and passenger Kennedy Lecraft, 22, fled the scene but were caught shortly after and now face a long list of felony charges, including murder, manslaughter, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Hit-and-Run Driver Injures Six Pedestrians in Bronx Sidewalk Crash: What Victims Should Know
From the Perspective of our Bronx Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyers
A shocking hit-and-run incident in the Melrose section of the Bronx sent six people to the hospital after a vehicle careened onto the sidewalk and into a sidewalk shed at the busy intersection of East 149th Street and Courtlandt Avenue . Surveillance footage captured the driver of a dark-colored Ford Mustang briefly pausing at the intersection around 11 a.m. before striking a pedestrian, jumping the curb, and crashing into five more people.
Instead of stopping to render aid, the driver backed up and fled the scene. Both the driver and a passenger allegedly abandoned the heavily damaged vehicle and ran off on foot. The NYPD is actively searching for the individuals involved.
Brooklyn Hit-and-Run Hero Fatally Struck While Protecting Woman in East New York
From the Perspective of our Brooklyn Car Accident Lawyers
Another life was lost to reckless driving on the streets of Brooklyn—and this time, it was a man who reportedly died saving someone else.
According to authorities, a 36-year-old pedestrian was fatally struck in a hit-and-run crash Thursday night at the intersection of East New York Avenue and Broadway in East New York. Witnesses say the driver of a silver sedan was speeding down the roadway around 10 p.m., hitting multiple construction barriers before slamming into the man at the intersection and fleeing the scene. Tragically, the victim was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Another Child Killed by an SUV in Crown Heights: How Oversized Vehicles Are Endangering Brooklyn’s Streets
By the Brooklyn Car Accident Lawyers at Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf
An 8-year-old boy was recently struck and killed at the intersection of Eastern Parkway and Albany Avenue in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, a tragic and avoidable death that underscores the growing threat posed by oversized vehicles on our city streets.
Mordechai Keller, a young pedestrian barely tall enough to clear the bumper of the SUV that killed him, was crossing Albany Avenue with the light when he was fatally struck by a 2011 Honda Pilot. Surveillance video shows the SUV advancing through the intersection as the light changed, hitting the child. The driver, a 69-year-old man with multiple prior speeding and red-light violations, was not charged.
Off-Duty Suffolk County Officer Arrested for DWI After Striking Pedestrian in Huntington, NY
A serious pedestrian crash in Huntington early Sunday morning has once again drawn attention to the dangers of impaired driving—this time involving an off-duty law enforcement officer.
According to Suffolk County police, a 28-year-old man was crossing New York Avenue at Carver Street around 2:30 a.m. when he was struck by a southbound 2012 Chevrolet Camaro. The driver was later identified as Alexander Vargas, a 30-year-old off-duty Suffolk County police officer assigned to the Second Precinct.
The victim sustained serious injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital. Vargas was arrested at the scene and charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). Following the incident, he was suspended without pay.
Most Common Personal Injury Claims in New York in June: Insights from Top NYC Trial Attorneys
At Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, our New York personal injury attorneys have represented victims of negligence in New York for more than 100 years. Each June, we see a seasonal rise in serious personal injury claims across the five boroughs. Below are the most common types of cases we handle this time of year—and what you should know if you or a loved one has been injured.
1. Car Accident Claims
Traffic congestion increases significantly in the summer, and with it, so do accidents. Many of the cases we handle involve serious injuries caused by speeding, distracted driving, or failure to yield. We have obtained some of the highest verdicts and settlements in New York for motor vehicle accident victims, including an $85 million jury verdict for a pedestrian struck by a sightseeing bus in Manhattan.
NYPD Squad Car Strikes Two Pedestrians in Manhattan
Two pedestrians were injured on Monday afternoon when they were struck by an NYPD patrol car attempting to avoid a taxi turning at a busy Manhattan intersection. The incident took place around 4:09 p.m. at Broadway and West 112th Street in Morningside Heights.
According to reports, a 63-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman were seated in an outdoor dining area when the northbound NYPD vehicle swerved away from a southbound taxi attempting a left turn onto W. 112th Street. The patrol car, which had its lights and sirens activated, then jumped the curb and struck the couple.
Three police officers and a 32-year-old civilian passenger were inside the squad car at the time. All six individuals — including the two pedestrians — were transported to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital and listed in stable condition.
New York Personal Injury Attorneys Blog




