In a tragic incident that shook Downtown Brooklyn, a woman lost her life and several others were injured in a chaotic collision during the early hours of the morning. The incident took place at the intersection of Court and Atlantic streets, just before 3:30 a.m.
Two vehicles collided just a few meters away from Borough Hall, ending up on opposite sides of Court Street. A black Mercedes Benz sedan burst into flames upon impact, while a white Honda came to a stop in front of the local Trader Joe's, with three victims trapped inside.
Sadly, one of the victims in the Honda, an 18-year-old girl, was pronounced dead at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. The two other occupants of the Honda, a 29-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman, were hospitalized and are in stable condition. The man does not appear to have any apparent connection to the two women in the car.
Authorities report that the 25-year-old driver of the black sedan attempted to flee on foot after the crash but was subsequently apprehended by the police a block away. He is currently in police custody and is expected to face charges.
A 24-year-old passenger in the black sedan was also taken to the hospital in stable condition.
Although the cause of the accident is still under investigation, speed is believed to have been a determining factor. Residents in the area claim that speeding is something they witness all too frequently.
"Everyone wants to beat the traffic light and they're always in a hurry," expressed Armir Cira, a resident and nearby worker. "The light turns red, but the other one is green. Something bad always happens here."
This marks the second fatal crash of the year in the central stretch of Atlantic Avenue. Just one block away in April, another driver who was seemingly under the influence of substances struck and killed a pedestrian after running a red light.
Residents spoken to by Eyewitness News are demanding that the city implement measures to reduce driver speed, such as installing more traffic light cameras and speed radars.
"I think it's terrible," commented Mohamed Al Kadi, a resident. "They need to change the traffic signal here because accidents always happen. My cousin had a bicycle accident two months ago and he's also in the hospital."
Originally posted at Abogados de Accidentes
