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One Pedestrian Killed, Another Injured By Hit-And-Run Driver In Brooklyn
By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 13, 2016
Modified Aug 13, 2016
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By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 13, 2016
Modified Aug 13, 2016
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Police are looking for a dollar van driver who apparently barreled into a man and a woman crossing a street outside a shopping center in southeast Brooklyn yesterday. The man died from his injuries while the woman remains hospitalized. A witness said, "Pretty loud a big boom, boom, and that's what made me turn around, I jumped," and another said, "Oh my God, people laying in the street we all ran outside to see what was going on."
The incident occurred just before 5 p.m. and, according to the NYPD, "a 47-year-old male and a 50-year-old female, were attempting to cross Flatbush Avenue, from west to east, mid-block, between Avenue U and Avenue V, when they were struck by a grey bus. The operator of the bus, which was traveling southbound on Flatbush Avenue, fled the location in the vehicle, upon causing injury to both pedestrians."
Both victims were taken to Kings County Hospital, where the male victim died from severe head trauma and internal injuries. The woman is in critical condition after also suffering severe head trauma and internal injuries.
Witness Johnny Santoro told WCBS 2, "They were crossing the street. [The driver] wasn’t trying to stop. He was going fast, head on — not slow, but fast. (He) hit the woman first, you know, he hit the bang; you know, the head first." Onlookers, including a nurse and an EMT, rushed to help the victims before first responders arrived.
The driver, police say, "turned westbound onto Avenue V, and continued to an unknown location... The vehicle is possibly a grey Ford Omnibus (dollar van), unknown operator." Authorities released an image of the vehicle:
In an interview with WABC 7, eyewitness Obed Burgess said, "It's horrible for you to hit someone and drive off like it's nothing. It's really sad. Hope they find their heart to do the right thing and come forward, come clean."
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS or for Spanish 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
Tagged
brooklyn
fatal hit and run
kings plaza mall
pedestrian fatality
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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