A Brooklyn man was run down and killed by the driver of a massive Jeep who was "doing at least 80" early Tuesday morning, according to a witness. The driver and his passenger ran away from the crash scene, leaving their victim to die, cops said.
Information is sketchy, but here's what the NYPD says:
At around 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, the operator of a motorized scooter was near the intersection of Avenue N and East 98th Street in Canarsie (though the initial police report also labeled him as a "pedestrian"). The scooter rider was "within the intersection" when the unknown driver of the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee, a large SUV that weighs 5,000 pounds, struck him as the SUV sped eastbound on Avenue N.
After the crash, the driver of the Jeep lost control of the assault car, hitting a tree and a fire hydrant before rolling over and smashing into several parked, unoccupied vehicles, police said. The driver and another unidentified occupant of the Jeep left and fled on foot. Cops offered no description to help the public assist in the search.
The unidentified victim was taken to Brookdale Hospital, where died.
Linda Lorenzana, 70, called 911 when she saw the crash from her window. “I saw [the SUV driver] speeding in this direction on Avenue N in a large, dark car and he was sorta on an angle and swerved. I saw him try to make a turn and he clearly missed the turn, she said, adding, “I heard the impact and it sounded like an explosion. He was doing at least 80 and in a residential area with these sharp turns, well, it’s a recipe for disaster.”
The area is a magnet for crashes, Lorenzana said: “From here [E. 98th and Ave N] there are a lot of accidents unfortunately. From 92nd Street to here it’s a circus.”
Another female neighbor, who declined to give her name, said that “this was the worst accident in the 40 years I’ve been here.” She lamented about the hit-and-run driver, “they kill someone and then they’re able to run away.”
The woman's husband, who also declined to be named, added: “Since the pandemic people have been driving crazy. People are going through stop signs and speeding up and down the street like it’s a raceway.”
The investigation is ongoing, and identification of the victim will be released after his family is notified of his death.
This story has been updated to reflect reporting from the scene of the crash.
