NYC Motorists Injured 1,166 Pedestrians and Cyclists in January, and Killed Eight

Eleven people died in New York City traffic in January, and 4,330 were injured, according to City Hall’s Vision Zero View crash data map.

City Hall reported eight pedestrians and cyclists killed by city motorists, and 1,166 injured, compared to 14 deaths and 1,286 injuries in January 2017.

Three motor vehicle occupants died in the city in January, according to City Hall, and 3,164 were injured.

City Hall reported seven pedestrians and one cyclist fatally struck by drivers in January. Among the victims were Myriam Nino, Jun Sum Yim, Mercedes Dearmas, Phil O’Reilly, and Kevin Flores.

Motorists killed at least one child and three seniors: Kevin Flores, 13; Myriam Nino, 82; Jun Sum Yim, 77; and Phil O’Reilly, 71.

Across the city, 984 pedestrians and 182 cyclists were reported hurt in collisions with motor vehicles. Per NYPD policy that has not changed since the 2014 launch of the Vision Zero program, few of these crashes were investigated by trained officers.

Of five fatal crashes on surface streets reported by Streetsblog and other outlets, two motorists were known to have been charged for causing a death. After one fatal crash, NYPD blamed the victim in the press while the police investigation purportedly remained open.

Philip Monfoletto hit Kevin Flores in Bed-Stuy while driving an oil truck without a valid license. Though Monfoletto, who has a history of license suspensions, was legally prohibited from driving and evidence suggests the victim had the right of way, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez filed a top charge of unlicensed operation, a low-level misdemeanor that police also apply when an unlicensed driver commits a minor traffic infraction. Gonzalez filed no charges against Monfoletto for the act of killing Kevin Flores. Gonzalez's staff did not respond to queries concerning who had the right of way.

NYPD and Queens DA Richard Brown did not charge the driver who fatally struck Phil O’Reilly on Union Turnpike in Hillcrest, and told the press the victim was crossing the street against the light. NYPD routinely accepts the driver’s version of events in cases where victims are no longer alive to give their side of the story, though those accounts are often proven wrong by video evidence or witness testimony.

Myriam Nino and Jun Sum Yim were struck in separate crashes in Queens by motorists who were charged with violating the victims’ right of way. The driver who killed Yim was also charged with felony leaving the scene.

Mercedes Dearmas was killed by a hit-and-run driver who was not immediately caught or identified. The majority of hit-and-run drivers who strike people in NYC are not held accountable in any way.

A march will be held tonight in Brooklyn to honor Kevin Flores and other victims of traffic violence.