UPDATED: Bronx Pedestrian Killed by Hit-and-Run Sanitation Truck Driver

Photo: Gersh Kuntzman
Photo: Gersh Kuntzman

A Bronx pedestrian was run down by the driver of a heavy New York City Sanitation truck early on Tuesday — and the driver kept on going, police said.

The pedestrian, whose name was not immediately released, was crossing Willis Avenue at E. 138th Street at about 6:35 a.m. when she was struck and killed by the 2007 sand spreader, cops said. The NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad said the driver fled after the cash. The Daily News reported that a witness saw the driver briefly stop before fleeing.

Police said no one has been arrested but the Daily News reported that the driver was collared.

It is unclear where the sand truck was heading, but there is a Sanitation facility a few blocks away on E. 132nd St.

The Department of Sanitation did not respond to an immediate request for comment. Last year, a DSNY driver hit and killed a pedestrian in Crown Heights. The agency later moved to fire him.

Update (Tuesday, 5:34 p.m.): The driver was on-duty and had been assigned to put salt on the roads ahead of anticipated wintry weather, according Sanitation department spokesperson Dina Mossi. The driver has been suspended, the agency is cooperating with police and an internal investigation is also underway.

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.

  • AMH

    “The pedestrian…was struck and killed by the 2007 sand spreader, cops said.”

    What exactly is a “2007 sand spreader”?

  • William Lawson

    Why hasn’t the driver been ARRESTED? Anyone else killing someone in a hit and run would most certainly be charged with leaving the scene by now. I’m sure everyone else is as sick to the back teeth as I am of the shield of protection and entitlement that makes city workers behave so atrociously in NYC.

  • walks bikes drives

    It’s those behemoth plow trucks with V shaped dump truck hoppers that are filled with salt or sand and have a spreading attachment on the back to distribute the sand or salt. Most DoS spreaders are orange.

  • Daphna

    The penalties are too weak. The threat of suspension from work, possible loss of a job is not nearly enough. A woman lost her life. Heartbreaking. Careless/distracted/impatient/aggressive/tired driving that results in injury or death needs to be penalized severely – it should be penalized the same as drunk driving that results in injury/death. And even for drunk driving the penalties should be more.

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