Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Brooklyn

NYPD: “No Criminality” When SUV Drivers Collide, Plow Into Family

1:03 PM EST on December 10, 2012

No one was criminally responsible for a grisly high-speed crash in Brooklyn this weekend that left one bystander dead and three members of her family injured, according to NYPD.

Accounts vary regarding the events leading up to the crash, which occurred at W. Fifth Street and Quentin Road in Gravesend at around 2:25 p.m. Saturday. The Post reported that the driver of an Acura SUV ran a stop and plowed into a Jeep SUV, flipping the Jeep and sending it into a group of people standing on the sidewalk. But according to DNAinfo, the driver of the Jeep was speeding, and the Acura driver "lost control" and hit the pedestrians.

Witnesses recalled the horrific aftermath. From the Post:

"My mother and I heard screaming and a huge explosion coming from [the street.] I immediately thought my brother could be out there," said Diana Babbo, 18.

"I ran up the street and saw that a Jeep was flipped over. An entire family was pinned between the jeep and a parked car on the street," she said.

"A lady was completely dead or passed out. It was horrifying. An infant and two other people were under the car. It was so terrible. I’m trembling thinking about it."

Babbo bawled as they pulled the car off the woman, she said.

"She was turning blue," the teen recalled.

"The guy driving the Jeep had his head cracked open. He was walking towards the police after they cut him out of his car."

Chenugor Dao, 60, died later at Lutheran Medical Center, where her husband, daughter and granddaughter, age 1, were admitted in stable condition. Accounts are inconsistent, but multiple passengers in the Jeep were reported hospitalized with serious injuries.

"Cars do not stop at this crosswalk on a regular basis," said local resident Sal Baglieri, to DNAinfo. A woman who witnessed the crash said: "This happens every couple of weeks. I don't even feel safe standing here. Six weeks ago a car pinned a pedestrian by the wall there."

Per the Post: "No criminality is suspected, and the cause of the accident is still unknown, cops said." And there you have it: Before determining the cause of a fatal traffic collision, even one with such force that a vehicle flipped onto a sidewalk, NYPD absolves the drivers involved.

This fatal crash occurred in the 62nd Precinct. To voice your concerns about neighborhood traffic safety directly to Deputy Inspector James Rooney, the commanding officer, go to the next precinct community council meeting. The 62nd Precinct council meetings happen at 7:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at the precinct, 1925 Bath Avenue. Call 718-236-2501 for information.

The City Council district where Chenugor Dao was killed is represented by David Greenfield. To encourage Greenfield to take action to improve street safety in his district and citywide, contact him at 718-853-2704, dgreenfield@council.nyc.gov or @NYCGreenfield.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

School Bus Driver Hits Cyclist, Injures 3, On Major Brooklyn School Bike Route

The crash happened on the route of the weekly Bergen bike bus.

September 21, 2023

City of Yes Yes Yes! Adams Calls for Elimination of Parking Mandates on ALL New Housing

Mayor Adams today announced the historic end to one of the city’s most antiquated — and despised — zoning laws requiring the construction of parking with every new development.

September 21, 2023

Cruise Ships Saddle Red Hook with Traffic ‘Nightmare,’ Toxic Fumes

Red Hook is drowning in traffic and smog from cruise ships Mayor Adams has touted as a "boost" to the economy.

September 21, 2023

Thursday Headlines: UN Hypocrisy Week Edition

The Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden preach climate action, yet still oppose better bus service. Plus other news.

September 21, 2023

Online Retailers Selling Illegal Batteries and Mopeds to City Buyers

Call it Amazon crime: The mammoth online retailer is selling illegal batteries and mopeds to city residents, despite such devices being forbidden from city streets.

September 21, 2023
See all posts