A high-speed crash in the Bronx over the weekend appeared to have been preceded by a police chase, according to witnesses and video — an apparent breach of the NYPD's recently adopted policy to reduce high speed chases.
Early on May 10, Kelvin Mitchell, a 43-year-old father of three, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on Webster Avenue between E. 168th and 169th streets. The force of the impact with the black Mercedes sent Mitchell flying high in the air before he was dragged 100 feet from the bodega he had just left.
Just before the crash, a police van was in pursuit of the speeding Mercedes, according to video obtained by Streetsblog. It is unclear if the chase caused the Mercedes driver to speed or whether he was speeding beforehand.
Either way, Mitchell's grieving mom is demanding full punishment for the driver.
“They killed my son," said Nancy Aguilar. "I need justice for my son.”
Mitchell's family said they were told two contradicting narratives by the NYPD. One was that the Mercedes was being chased for a good bit of time by the police. The second was that the officers inside the van were on patrol and only pursued the Mercedes after seeing it speed down the bus lane.
Mitchell's sister, Justina Lorrious, is hopeful that the Mercedes can be found because Webster Avenue has a speed camera — which she knows because she often gets tickets, she said.
But if the NYPD was involved in the crash, she said, "they will be liable for my brother's death."
The new NYPD policy on vehicular pursuits allows a chase only for the most serious and violent crimes, such as felonies and violent misdemeanors. The policy also discourages pursuits in residential communities or near schools or playgrounds — where this chase occurred.
The NYPD declined to comment for this story, nor respond to specific questions about whether the police were chasing the Mercedes driver.
Friends and family remembered Mitchell as a cornerstone of the community and a great guy.
“He’s a basketball player, the best basketball player,” said Troy, a friend of Mitchell over 40 years.
Two memorials honor Kelvin Mitchell, one in front of his apartment building nearby and the other in front of the bodega where he spent his final safe moments.
