The South Williamsburg area has experienced two incidents of traffic violence in just a short time, with both crashes occurring on Lorimer Street, only blocks away from each other. These fatalities come only days after a truck driver killed a pedestrian crossing the street in Greenpoint.
At around 9:45 p.m. last night, a red Mercedes Benz hit an MTA bus at the intersection of Harrison Avenue and Lorimer Street. An investigation from the NYPD Collision Investigation Squad found that the Mercedes driver, still unidentified, was traveling southbound on Harrison Avenue against a red light when it struck the bus. The collision forced the bus onto the sidewalk, striking a Citi Bike kiosk. The impact ejected 33-year-old passenger Alex Caba-Gutierrez from the car. EMS removed him from the scene and took him to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. EMS also transported the bus driver and a passenger to nearby hospitals in stable condition
According to NYPD officials, Caba-Gutierrez was a Williamsburg resident. The driver fled the scene, and an investigation is still ongoing.
Sadly, this morning saw another fatality at around 7:52 a.m. at Broadway and Lorimer Street. In a statement from the NYPD:
“A 64 year old male on a bicycle traveling eastbound on Broadway alongside a 2022 Hyundai Elantra. The operator of a parked 2019 Honda Accord opened her door and the bicyclist collided with the door. The bicyclist then slipped into the adjacent lane and in front of the Hyundai Elantra, which struck and ran over the bicyclist, pinning him beneath the vehicle. EMT responded and moved the vehicle. The bicyclist received head trauma and was found unresponsive. He was transported by EMS to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. All operators and vehicles remained on scene. The investigation remains ongoing, the identity of the deceased is pending family notification.”
Adding another gruesome layer to the story is that, according to a tweet from said City Council Member Lincoln Restler, the incident took place during the school commute, and “students at IS 318 witnessed the fallout from this tragedy.” In response, Restler called for additional safety improvements, asking that the city’s Department of Transportation “perform an immediate review of safety improvements at Lorimer and Broadway, and that NYPD assign a crossing guard or TEA to IS 318 for the foreseeable future to ensure student safety.”
This is an ongoing story, and we will update it if we receive additional information.
I saw two accidents on my work today both off Wilson Avenue and during the time kids are walking to school. We need to be harder on reckless drivers. I see people driving through lights and stop signs all day long. The crossing guards have no power.
A friend was at traffic court and the AD was allowing a man who had six reckless driving tickets to pay a fine and it would be downgraded to jay walking! That is infuriating. We blame the cops but there are many layers of neglect.
I see the same in Greenpoint by PS 110 and PS 34
No respect for stop signs or red lights. Even speed up when light is about to change to red. Speeding by schools and parks with tons of kids of all ages. No respect for bike lanes. Park and stop cars on bike lanes. The hostility from the drivers towards pedestrians and bikers is shocking. I do not know how these people live with themselves knowing that these are people with loved ones waiting for them at home.