Driver Injures Two on Bronx Sidewalk; NYPD: No Charges, No Tickets

Jump the curb, injure two pedestrians, smash four storefronts? NYPD says there is "no criminality." Photo: ##http://bronx.news12.com/news/multiple-pedestrians-struck-by-car-at-3477-boston-road-at-least-3-injured-1.5836374##WNBC##

All too often, a New York City driver jumps a curb, strikes a pedestrian (or 10), and is on his or her way without so much as a traffic ticket. If the motorist is a repeat drunk driver, or if the crash kills a teenager, it might grab the public’s attention for a moment. But usually, victims are transported to the hospital, debris is swept away, and as far as police and prosecutors are concerned, all is forgotten. No investigation. No arrests. No summonses.

Shortly after 6:45 p.m. yesterday, police say a woman driving a minivan on Boston Road in the Bronx was cut off by another driver near Corsa Avenue in Williamsbridge. She swerved onto the sidewalk, crashing into four storefronts and injuring two pedestrians, who along with the driver were transported to Jacobi Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to FDNY.

The scene of yesterday's curb-jumping crash, where the speed limit is 25 mph. Photo: ##https://www.google.com/maps/preview#!q=Boston+Rd+%26+Corsa+Ave%2C+Bronx%2C+NY+10469&data=!1m8!1m3!1d3!2d-73.847318!3d40.876737!2m2!1f249.91!2f84.94!4f75!2m4!1e1!2m2!1sTou_RJiIxESbIDF2eK3zdw!2e0!4m11!1m10!4m8!1m3!1d387191!2d-73.979681!3d40.6974881!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!17b1&fid=5##Google Maps##

Because no one was killed or seriously injured, NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad did not launch an investigation. A police spokesperson could not say whether the second motorist stayed at the scene or drove off. NYPD did, however, tell Streetsblog that there is “no criminality” and that no summonses were issued. No summonses for passing unsafely. No speeding tickets.

The speed limit on this section of Boston Road is 25 mph. Last year, the 47th Precinct, where the crash occurred, issued 183 speeding tickets — about one every other day — and two tickets for improper passing. To voice your concerns about neighborhood traffic safety directly to Deputy Inspector Brian M. Mullen, the commanding officer, go to the next community council meeting. The 47th Precinct council meets at 8 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month. Call the precinct’s community affairs office at 718-920-1202 for more information.

This crash occurred in City Council District 12, which is represented by Andy King. To encourage Council Member King to take action to improve street safety in his district and citywide, contact him at 212-788-6873 or 718-788-6873.

One final note: the only city agency that investigated the scene was the Department of Buildings, according to WCBS, and DOB has good news. The smashed storefronts remain structurally sound.

  • This morning at about 7am an SUV flipped on its side on Audubon Avenue. Just across the street from 2 elementary schools, one public one Catholic. I only looked out the window after I heard the crash, but I’m pretty sure the car would not have been able to flip if it were going anywhere near the speed limit.

  • Mark Walker

    It’s fine for a driver to swerve onto a sidewalk to avoid another car. Because, y’know, PEDESTRIANS HAVE AIRBAGS. No risk to us at all!

  • Bronxite

    Talk about a terrible judgment call, lol.

  • vnm

    “usually, victims are transported to the hospital, debris is swept away, and as far as police and prosecutors are concerned, all is forgotten. No investigation. No arrests. No summonses.”

    Am I wrong, or is the NYPD more lenient on drivers than police are in the surrounding suburban jurisdictions? I think if you smash through a storefront or injure a pedestrian in a town in Westchester, Long Island, New Jersey or Connecticut, you can expect a court date.

  • Eric McClure

    Hey, New York City mayoral candidates! Any comment? Any plan on how to hold drivers who jump curbs and injure or kill pedestrians accountable? Any acknowledgment at all that people are dying on our sidewalks with no consequences at all for the perpetrators? Anybody out there?

  • KillMoto

    Yeah, but try swerving **into** a traffic lane (I.e., out of the bike lane) on a bicycle, and you get a criminal summons. You don’t even need to injure people or damage property- the cops will just give you one for knowing your rights!

  • Daniel Winks

    What kind of charges would you like to see the NYPD levy against the perpetrators? Negligent walking along a sidewalk? Willful damage of a motor vehicle? Impeding traffic? I think we should just consider all of the pedestrians involved lucky that they aren’t facing criminal charges.

  • Anonymous

    Bikes get ticketed for riding on the sidewalks. Why didn’t the driver at least get ticketed for that?

  • Joe R.

    Evidently the police consider “losing control” or “swerving” a valid reason for a car to be on the sidewalk. This also gives some insight into how to beat a sidewalk cycling ticket. Just tell the judge you lost control of the bike and it ended up on the sidewalk.

  • Anonymous

    Unless the driver had a seizure or some other medical event, there is no way someone going 25mph crashes into 4 storefronts. Why is this driver not in cuffs for reckless endangerment?

  • Joe R.

    Just looking at the magnitude of the damage, it’s apparent they were driving well over the speed limit. It’s a pity the police can’t obtain black box data to aid crash investigations.

  • Mike

    Are you sure the limit is 25 there? I would expect 30.

  • Andrew

    I would have thought the same if not for the SPEED LIMIT 25 sign in the photo.

  • Rabi Abonour

    To be fair: 1) If you’re swerving to avoid a car you’re not necessarily thinking straight and 2) If the alternative is swerving into traffic, that’s also a problem.

    Fault is foremost with the driver who cut off the car that jumped the curb. However, the damage does make it look like the curb-jumped was speeding, which is clearly a problem.

  • Melody Wu

    My friends and I were recently involved in a hit-and-run where a crazy driver tried to mow us down on the sdidewalk in the 18th precinct of Hell’s Kitchen. This collision injured 4 of us and no one was able to ID his plate. How you’ve mentioned how investigators proceed with such cases is exactly what I am dealing with right now. The detective I spoke with was dismissive and even mentioned he had “30 other cases” he is working on. It clearly appears as though no deaths in these collisions means no dice.

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