Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In

The Weekly Carnage is a Friday round-up of motor vehicle mayhem
across the five boroughs and beyond. For more on the origins and purpose of this
column, please read About the Weekly Carnage.

carnage_rollino.jpg"The Great" Joe Rollino, killed by driver on January 11 in Brooklyn

Fatal Crashes (7 Killed This Week, 14 This Year, 4 Drivers Charged*)

    • Dyker Heights, Brooklyn: Joe Rollino, "World's Strongest Man," Killed by Brooklyn Minivan Driver at Age 104; No Charges Filed (NYT, NY1, News, Post, Bklyn Eagle)
    • Annadale, SI: 23-Year-Old Daniel Kelley, Jogger Hit by Drugged Driver, Dies of Injuries; Further Charges Against Killer Gypsy Porfirio Pending (News, NY1, Advance 1, 2)
    • Related: Pedestrian Safety on the Minds of Staten Islanders (Advance 1, 2)
    • Eastchester, Bronx: Unidentified Pedestrian, 66, Hit by Driver of Mini Cooper; Gerard King, 53, Charged With Homicide, DWI (Post)
    • Flushing, Queens: Unidentified Pedestrian Hit, Killed by Two Drivers on Grand Central Parkway; No Charges (News)
    • Hillcrest, Queens: Speeding Driver Plows Into Cars on Grand Central Parkway, Killing Another Driver; Charged With DWI, Manslaughter (News)
    • Bay Ridge, Brooklyn: Two Killed in Belt Parkway Crash; Driver Charged With Homicide (NYT, Post)

Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage

    • Manhattan: Howard Safir Hits Pregnant Woman With SUV, Drives Off (NYT, NY1, News, Post)
    • Related: DA Vance Examining Safir Hit-and-Run, Ped and Cyclist Deaths (Streetsblog, NYT, Post)
    • Related: Ray Kelly Says Collision "Not a Criminal Matter," Considers Case Closed (News, Fox5)
    • Manhattan: Driver Fleeing Police Tears Through Midtown; 3 Cops Injured (Post, News)
    • Queens: Pedestrian Critical After Collision in Hollis Hills; Driver Blames Sun; No Charges (NY1)
    • Old Town, SI: Driver Rams SUV Into Laundromat, Steals Cash Register (News)
    • Bulls Head, SI: Firefighter Hurt When Truck Carrying Oil and Antifreeze Catches Fire (Advance)
    • Bronx: Driver Trying to Avoid Rear-Ender Hits Pole, Writes Entertaining Forum Post (8th Civic)
    • Crashes Reported on Manhattan, Verrazano Bridges (WNBC, Advance)

Following Up

carnage_drunk_bus_driver_vid.jpg

In the Region, Out of Town

    • LA Road Rager Christopher Thompson Gets Five Years for Injuring Two Cyclists (Streetsblog LA)
    • Son of Brooklyn Rabbi, Two Others Killed in Crash Outside Pittsburgh (Post)
    • Almond, NY: School Bus Driver Gets 90 Days for On-the-Job DWI (News)
    • Windham, NY: 2 Teens Killed in Three-Car Catskills Crash (AP)
    • How Safe Will Kids Be at Newark's Speedway Elementary? (MTR)

Other News

    • Vulnerable Street User Law to Be Reintroduced in Albany (Streetsblog)
    • Before Leaving Office, Morgenthau Joined Ray Kelly in Cementing New DWI Procedures (News)
    • FocusDriven, New Group Modeled on MADD, Takes on Distracted Driving (Bits, NY1)
    • Cellphone-Using Drivers Cause 28 Percent of U.S. Crashes: 1.4M a Year (WaPo)
    • Safety Guru Leonard Evans: Distracting Auto Tech "Worse Than a Six-Pack in the Front Seat" (AOL)
    • Ford VP Says Company Wants to Make Cars "as Cool as Your iPhone" (MediaPost)
    • New York, Connecticut Picked for Fed-Supported DWD Enforcement Study (WNYC)
    • Tennessee Considering Crackdown on Life-Saving Traffic Cams (Times Free Press)
    • FL Phantom Cam Controversy: Do Drivers Hate Cameras, or Hate Following the Law? (WZVN)

* Based on latest available reports

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Opinion: Mamdani Must Do More Than Just Undo the Mistakes of Eric Adams

Mamdani deserve credit for the quick wins, but there's only so much he can accomplish by reversing the mistakes of Eric Adams.

February 17, 2026

Manhattan Panel Pans DOT Plan for Unprotected E. 17th St. Bike Lane

Community Board 6 voted overwhelmingly to support a protected bike lane over DOT's unprotected proposal.

February 17, 2026

Jersey City Shows Why NYC Needs a Real Chief Public Realm Officer

New York City's smaller neighbor was able to make big streetscape changes by centralizing planning for public space under one role.

February 17, 2026

Tuesday’s Headlines: (Parking) Space … The Final Frontier Edition

Let's start raising revenue by charging a tiny fee for drivers to store their cars in the public right of way! Plus other news.

February 17, 2026

Monday’s Headlines: Presidents’ Day Edition

We're honoring the Presidents of the United States today, but let's do so with a little news roundup, ok?

February 16, 2026

Rider Advocates Snub Mamdani’s Event After Mayor Opts Against Fordham Busway

Riders Alliance criticized Mamdani for eschewing the city's "original" busway plan that he campaigned to implement.

February 13, 2026
See all posts