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

UPDATE: Two Pedestrians Struck, One Killed, By Driver on Deadly Church Avenue

File photo: Dave Colon

Two more pedestrians were struck — one fatally — by a driver on deadly Church Avenue on Saturday, the latest death in a year with double-digit increases in road carnage.

According to the NYPD, the driver of a Cadillac was headed westbound on Church at around 3:20 p.m. when he struck the two pedestrians as they tried to cross the avenue at E. Fourth St. Sixty-year-old Olga Feldman was killed and her 72-year-old husband, whom police did not identify, was injured in the crash. The driver remained on the scene and was not charged. An NYPD spokesman declined to give any additional information, saying the investigation is ongoing.

It is unclear if the driver was speeding. But Cadillac says its vehicles have "high-performance features that do not just look ahead, but quickly overtake wherever you are headed." WPIX11 obtained video showing the driver failing to move through a green light — as if distracted or inattentive. Then, when the light turned red, he drove straight into the couple. The clip shows that the car is bearing out-of-state plates.

Church Avenue is inaccurately named — because pedestrians who walk on it don't have a prayer.

Saturday's crash was just one block from another fatal strike by a driver in July. And it's about three blocks away from the spot at Coney Island Avenue where Maria Del Carmen Porras-Hernandez was killed as she was crossing inside the marked crosswalk, also in July.

The 15-block stretch of Church Avenue between Flatbush Avenue and Ocean Parkway is notoriously busy and dangerous. Since Jan. 1, 2018, there have been 318 crashes, injuring 12 cyclists, 33 pedestrians (two fatally) and 37 motorists.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Christmas Sockings: Carl Heastie and Andrea Stewart-Cousins Say ‘No’ to Better Transit

The transit world is reeling this week after the two legislative leaders put a block on the MTA's capital plan.

December 26, 2024

Streetsies 2024: Vote For This Year’s Biggest Failures

Overall, it was a pretty sad year. But what was the city and state's worst failures? You get to vote!

December 26, 2024

Streetsies 2024: Vote for this Year’s Best Livable Streets Projects

This year had some bright spots for livable streets projects. Here are the ones that stood out.

December 26, 2024

Thursday’s Headlines: Christmukkah Edition

We took yesterday off to celebrate the many holidays and to see the new Bob Dylan movie. But there was lots of news.

December 26, 2024

On Christmas, Let’s Consider the Successes of the Livable Streets Movement

Here's a short, heartwarming film about the successes experienced this year by the livable streets movement.

December 25, 2024
See all posts