Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Investigation Called for After SUV's Fatal Collision with Vespa
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 9, 2010
Modified Jul 9, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 9, 2010
Modified Jul 9, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Last night an unidentified 40-year-old woman died from head trauma sustained during a collision with an SUV Ford Explorer in Fort Greene around 5:30 p.m. Witnesses say she was heading west on DeKalb Avenue and making a right turn on Clinton Avenue when the SUV ran the red light heading north on Clinton. Initial accounts suggested that the driver was an undercover detective with the NYPD, and that the vehicle was equipped with police lights.
The NYPD press office tells us there was no criminality involved and the driver, who has not been identified, is definitely not NYPD. According to witnesses who were crossing the street, they tried to stop the woman, but she had earphones on, and hit the side of the Explorer head first. She was pronounced dead at Woodhill Hospital.
Fort Greene Council Member Letitia James is calling for an investigation into the incident, and has released a statement saying, "The individual driving the SUV has been neither identified nor placed under arrest by the NYPD. Additionally, it is believed that the driver is currently a member of a federal law enforcement agency. It is unclear whether this individual was traveling at the time in an official capacity...The NYPD must investigate the circumstances of this incident, and communicate openly with the victim's family, my office, and the community at large."
Tagged
accident
fatal crash
fort greene
moped
vespa
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Plainclothes ICE agent with long gun looked like mass shooter, Mayor Mamdani says
The mayor said his administration would review ICE and NYPD actions surrounding Thursday’s shooting.
By
Michael Sol Warren
Published Oct 11, 2026
NJ Transit riders face 5 weeks of schedule disruptions starting Sunday
NJ Transit and Amtrak riders should prepare for cancellations, schedule changes and longer commutes as work continues on the new Portal North Bridge.
By
Giulia Heyward
News
NJ Transit riders face 5 weeks of schedule disruptions starting Sunday
NJ Transit and Amtrak riders should prepare for cancellations, schedule changes and longer commutes as work continues on the new Portal North Bridge.
By
Giulia Heyward
For a Democrat in a traditionally red NJ district, how to woo Republican voters
By
Mike Hayes
2 pedestrians killed in Bronx crash after driver ran red light, police say
By
Brittany Kriegstein
and
Ann Givens
Rain could put a damper on NYC’s long weekend. Here’s when it will clear.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .