Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Manhattan man arrested in fatal wrong-way crash with woman, 27, in West Village: NYPD
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Feb 25, 2026
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 .
Gary Hershorn / Getty Images
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Feb 25, 2026
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
A Manhattan man is facing charges for allegedly driving the wrong way and fatally striking a 27-year-old woman who was crossing a West Village street last fall.
Police said they arrested 62-year-old Gary Levinson on Tuesday and charged him with criminally negligent homicide and reckless driving.
Levinson was behind the wheel of a van when he hit Valerie Schoeck on the morning of Nov. 6 as she crossed Morton Street at Seventh Avenue, according to the NYPD.
Officials said Levinson had made a left turn onto Morton Street and was driving against the flow of traffic.
First responders took Schoeck to Bellevue Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Levinson stayed at the scene of the crash and was not arrested at the time, the NYPD said.
Schoeck lived less than a mile from where she was killed, according to police. A GofundMe page was subsequently created in her honor to support Our House, a nonprofit dedicated to providing grief support services. The fundraiser collected more than $63,000.
Police said Levinson lives in the East Village. His lawyer, Scott Leemon, said Levinson was arraigned Tuesday and released on his own recognizance.
“This was a horrible accident, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Ms. Schoeck,” Leemon said in a statement.
This is a developing story based on preliminary information from police and may be updated.
Tagged
manhattan
new york city
public safety
transportation
west village
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Central Park birders, others remember 63-year-old woman killed in park
People who said they knew her described her as an artist and a familiar presence in the Ramble.
By
Charles Lane
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 7:04 p.m. ET
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
News
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
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 .