Friday concluded a particularly deadly week on New York City streets that saw at least half a dozen people killed in traffic incidents across the five boroughs.
At least three people died in the span of 24 hours: a passenger, a pedestrian and a bicyclist. Those deaths Friday followed other high-profile ones earlier in the week where a 21-year-old NYU student was hit and killed by an alleged drunk driver and a 16-year-old girl in the Bronx was fatally struck by a box truck driver, according to police and transit officials.
A 38-year-old woman died on a Queens street late Friday night, around 10 p.m., while attempting to cross the street near 21st Street and Astoria Park South, the city's Department of Transportation said. Karina Larino, who was crossing the street "outside of the marked crosswalk," was fatally struck by a 73-year-old driver making a turn onto 21st Street.
Hours earlier, over in Brooklyn, DOT officials said a 55-year-old e-bike rider died after he was run over by a car. The brakes on his bike locked and he was ejected from the bike, according to the DOT. They said Peter Costello was flown from his bike onto 4th Avenue in Greenwood Heights, where he was run over by a van driver who remained at the scene.
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A chain-reaction crash on the New England Thruway also claimed the life of a New Yorker on Friday morning. Shakir Simpson, 21, was riding in the one of three vehicles involved in a crash at the Exit 21 ramp, according to the DOT. Officials said the first involved car crashed into the exit median, and a second car attempting to avoid the crash struck another vehicle and flipped.
A 27-year-old driver was taken into custody on charges of vehicular manslaughter and driving while intoxicated.
Traffic safety advocates are calling for the state to allow NYC to lower speed limits again and to keep the city's speeding cameras rolling 24/7.
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"Six New Yorkers killed by cars in three days is a real emergency and crisis," said Cory Epstein, of the Transportation Alternatives group. "We need to find the streets that are most deadly and we need the Adams administration to make urgent investments."
The three deaths Friday mark a somber week in the city. One day earlier, city officials said a hit-and-run driver fled after hitting 35-year-old Eric Salitsky, who was riding a bike on 9th Avenue in Brooklyn, just south of Green-Wood Cemetery.
A preliminary investigation suggests the driver of a private garbage truck struck the man, but investigators believe that operator weren't aware of hitting the cyclist.
And in the Bronx, 16-year-old Alissa Kolenovic was killed around the corner from her home while walking to high school Wednesday morning. DOT officials said a box truck driver making a turn struck the teenager on Neill Avenue.
A 21-year-old NYU student with dreams of becoming a doctor had his life cut short, after police said that he was struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver in the East Village. The deadly incident occurred early Monday morning, as Raife Milligan was crossing East Houston and 1st Avenue when he was plowed into by a drunk driver, according to police. Milligan was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he died.
Police said that the alleged drunk driver is Michael de Guzman, of Queens. The 49-year-old was arrested and charged.
Milligan's death occurred the same day Mayor Eric Adams and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced a $4 million campaign to address "rising traffic violence."
“This campaign will be unprecedented in the extent of its outreach: It will be in more communities, cover more community and ethnic media, and speak to New Yorkers in nine different languages," Rodriguez said.
The latest campaign in support of Vision Zero, will distribute ads throughout the city via radio and TV ads, billboards, bus shelters, gas stations and LinkNYC kiosks.
