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

UPDATE: Pedestrian Killed by Driver on Busy Brooklyn Street — And Driver is Charged

The corner of E. 17th Street and Foster Avenue in East Flatbush still has police tape where a pedestrian was fatally struck on Tuesday morning. Photo: Dave Colon

A Brooklyn woman was struck and killed by a driver early Tuesday morning in a crash at an intersection where snow had still not been properly cleared — and the NYPD said on Wednesday that the driver had been charged.

Police offered only scant information: At around 6:55 a.m., the 64-year-old pedestrian was "in the vicinity" of Foster Avenue and E. 17th Street when the 57-year-old driver of a gray Chevy came "into contact" with the victim, knocking her to the pavement and causing body trauma. The woman was taken to Kings County Hospital, where she died, becoming at least the 12th pedestrian to die so far this year. The driver remained at the scene and was not initially charged (update: but on Wednesday, the NYPD said it had charged Gale Grey-Lawrence of Brooklyn with the minor charges of failure to yield, running a red light and failure to exercise due care).

Neither police nor the Department of Transportation would give Streetsblog key details about the crash, including the direction of the driver or the pedestrian, or which one had the light. The NYPD said the car in question was a sedan, but a video obtained by Streetsblog showed that it was a much larger car, and the driver was clearly culpable.

In the video, the pedestrian (in an off-white winter coat) is seen moving westbound on the north sidewalk of Foster Avenue. When she gets to the intersection of E. 17th Street, she stops for the light and for cars moving north on E. 17th Street. When the light turns green, she slowly makes her way through the narrow cut in the snow, and then is struck by a driver who did not yield. (The video is here. Warning: it is graphic. A still photo is below.)

A split second before the driver killed the pedestrian.
A split second before the driver killed the pedestrian.
A split second before the driver killed the pedestrian.

In another video shared with Streetsblog by a local business owner, the driver of the gray Chevy is seen making an illegal U-turn on Foster Avenue seconds before the crash.

Hours later, police tape at the scene revealed that snow had still not been properly removed from the intersection.

Another view of the crash scene. Photo: Dave Colon
Another view of the crash scene. Photo: Dave Colon
Another view of the crash scene. Photo: Dave Colon

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

NJ’s Plan to Widen the Turnpike Can Really Break Your Heart

"I've lived in a lot of places and all of them have had neighborhoods destroyed by turnpike expansion. New Jersey is no exception," said one activist.

June 2, 2025

Car Harms Monday: ‘Gridlock Sam’ Says We Have Lost Our Lives to the Automobile

Take it from the former head of the city's Department of Traffic: If we restore valuable public space to the people, the result will be a healthier, happier, and more humane city.

June 2, 2025

Monday’s Headlines: Critical Mass of Rage Against the NYPD Edition

Scores of New Yorkers rode on Friday to protest the Police Department's criminal crackdown on cyclists. Plus other news.

Talking Headways Podcast: Bike Guides to Build Your City

Let's talk bike lane design guides, the importance of history, political will, and the stress of being an expert witness in court.

June 2, 2025

Cyclist: Cop Pulled a Taser During Summons Chase

In a dramatic escalation of the NYPD's criminal crackdown on bike riders, a police officer pulled a stun gun while chasing a cyclist for allegedly running a red light on a regular bike.

May 30, 2025
See all posts