The Weekly Carnage
The Weekly Carnage is a Friday round-up of motor vehicle violence across the five boroughs and beyond. For more on the origins and purpose of this column, please read About the Weekly Carnage.
1:22 PM EST on December 16, 2011
The Weekly Carnage is a Friday round-up of motor vehicle violence across the five boroughs and beyond. For more on the origins and purpose of this column, please read About the Weekly Carnage.
Fatal Crashes (1 killed this week, 147 this year, 20 drivers charged*)
- South Williamsburg: Meilech Weiss, 62, Killed Crossing the Street; No Charges (Post Blotter, Vos Iz Neias)
Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage
- Morningside Heights: Pedestrian Critically Injured in Hit-And-Run Where Daniela D’Ercole Was Killed Last Month (DNAinfo, Post)
- Corona: Drunk Driver Rear-Ends Police Cruiser, Attempts to Flee Scene (Post Blotter)
- Midtown: Cab Driver Jumps Curb, Pins Pedestrian Against Scaffolding (DNAinfo)
- Harlem: Son of Rapper Doug E. Fresh Arrested for DWI (DNAinfo)
- Sunnyside, SI: Six Injured in Crash Involving Police Cruiser (Advance)
- Oakland Gardens: Three-Car Crash Injures Four, Trapping One in Vehicle (Times Ledger)
- Lincoln Tunnel: Tractor-Trailer Near NJ Entrance Overturns, Closing Several Lanes (DNAinfo)
- Whitestone: Emergency Responders Find Car That Crashed Through Expressway Barrier Into Tree (Times Ledger)
In the Region, Out of Town
- Yonkers, NY: Driver Fatally Strikes 66-Year-Old Cyclist (LoHud)
- Suffolk County, NY: 5-Year-Old LI Boy Dies From Injuries After Drugged Driving Rear-End Crash (Post)
- Cortlandt, NY: Driver Plunges Car Off Road Embankment; Charged With DWI (LoHud)
- Garden City, NY: Lawyer in Queens Hate-Crime Trial Charged With DWI (Post)
- Central Islip, NY: LI Man Driving Drunk With Child Fatally Strikes Pedestrian (WPIX)
- Columbia, TN: Man Tries Killing Girlfriend By Running Her Down in Convenience Store (News)
Following Up
- 68-Year-Old Pedestrian Killed in Forest Hills Crash Identified (Times Ledger)
- LI Driver Whose Drunk Driving Crash Injured Four Avoids Jail Time, Sentenced to Probation (TRD 1, 2)
Other News
- National Transportation Safety Board Recommends Cell Phone Ban, Citing Dangers of Hands-Free Use (AP)
- Related: Texting While Driving Poses Greater Crash Risk Than Talking: Research (Medical Daily)
- Cell Phone Ban Would Be Almost Impossible to Enforce: Law Enforcement (HuffPo)
- MIT Scientists Developing Technology to Predict Red-Light Running (News)
* Based on latest available reports
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog New York City
Tech Industry Group: NYC’s Delivery Minimum Wage Worked — But That’s Bad!
The tech industry-backed group Chamber of Progress is upset the city forced app companies to make delivery worker a well-paying full-time job.
May 18, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: Sidewalk Nation
Law Professor Michael Pollack on who manages, owns and feels ownership of sidewalks — "America's most overlooked resource."
May 18, 2026
Meet the NIMBY’s Toxic Cousin: the NOMS (Not On My Street)
Are neighborhood "car supremacists" taking over our community meetings — and what do we do about it?
May 18, 2026
Monday’s Headlines: Misinformation Edition
Two big stories over the weekend reminded anew of Streetsblog's important place in an ecosystem of outrage and lies. Plus all the news.
May 18, 2026
Pols Want A Bike Lane From Bklyn Bridge To West Side Greenway — Just Not on Chambers Street Where Cyclists Want It
Cyclists are voting with their feet, but the politicians aren't yet on board.
May 15, 2026