Driver mounts Harlem sidewalk; mother dies, son hospitalized
A 68-year-old driver mounted the sidewalk at West 145th Street and Lenox Avenue at about 8:25 a.m. on March 28, 2022, injuring Jennifer Tolliver and her son; she died a week later.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
A 68-year-old driver lost control of a Toyota Camry near West 145th Street and Lenox Avenue on March 28, 2022, and mounted the sidewalk, police said. He hit Jennifer Tolliver and her 6-year-old son, then continued through a corner flower shop and into parked cars. Tolliver died at Harlem Hospital on April 4. Her son remained in intensive care as of April 6. Authorities believed the driver may have suffered a medical episode, but that possibility was not confirmed. Police had not arrested him as of April 6.
The driver continued along the sidewalk
Police said the 68-year-old driver lost control of a 2015 Toyota Camry, mounted the curb and hit Tolliver and her son from behind. Surveillance video showed them walking hand in hand just beforehand. The driver continued through a corner flower shop and into several parked cars before stopping about half a block down the sidewalk.
West 145th Street in Harlem
The official record places the crash at West 145th Street and Lenox Avenue; news reports call the intersection West 145th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard. Harlem Councilmember Kristin Richardson Jordan said residents had long sought safety measures there. Gothamist reported that, according to Transportation Alternatives, at least five people had died within one block since 2011.
A mother and son were injured
Jennifer Tolliver, 38, died at Harlem Hospital on April 4, a week after the crash. Her 6-year-old son remained in intensive care as of April 6. The driver was hospitalized in serious but stable condition after the crash.
Police examined a possible medical episode
Authorities believed the driver may have suffered a medical episode, ABC7 reported. The report did not establish that as the cause. Police said at the time that they saw no criminality, and Gothamist reported that the driver had not been arrested as of April 6.
Calls for changes at the intersection
After Tolliver's death, a city transportation spokesperson said the department would study the location for possible improvements. Councilmember Kristin Richardson Jordan called for greater investment in Harlem's streets, saying the community had repeatedly asked for safety measures at the intersection.