Driver sentenced after fatal Atlantic Avenue crash
A Phenomenon
Police said driver Erick Taxilaga Trujillo ran a red light at Atlantic Avenue and Clinton Street and struck Katherine Harris, 31, as she crossed; the official record counts one pedestrian killed in the crash and records its time as 9:58 p.m. on April 16, 2023.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
On April 16, 2023, Trujillo was driving west on Atlantic Avenue when he ran a red light at Clinton Street and struck Harris as she crossed in the crosswalk; police accounts reported by Patch and Brooklyn Paper said she had the right of way. The official record lists one pedestrian killed and gives the crash time as 9:58 p.m. Patch reported that Trujillo continued west and struck the rear of a Honda Accord, after which both vehicles veered into an outdoor dining structure. ABC7 described Trujillo's car as a BMW, while Patch and Brooklyn Paper identified it as a Volvo S60. Authorities later said vehicle data showed he was traveling 72 mph in a 25 mph zone. Trujillo pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to three to nine years in prison.
A red light preceded a second collision.
Police told Patch that Erick S. Taxilaga Trujillo, 27, was driving west on Atlantic Avenue at high speed when he went through a red light at Clinton Street and struck Katherine Harris. Brooklyn Paper reported that Harris was in the crosswalk with the right of way.
Patch reported that Trujillo continued west and struck the rear of a 2018 Honda Accord. Its driver, a 40-year-old man traveling in the right lane, was not injured. The two vehicles veered right and came to rest against an outdoor dining structure on the north curb. The official record counts one pedestrian killed.
The intersection sits on a wide route.
The official record places the crash at Atlantic Avenue and Clinton Street in Brooklyn at 9:58 p.m. on April 16, 2023. Brooklyn Paper described Atlantic as one of the borough's widest streets, with the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway entrance a few blocks away. After the crash, Council Member Lincoln Restler called for traffic-calming and safety improvements on Atlantic.
Accounts differ on the first car's make.
Patch and Brooklyn Paper identified Trujillo's car as a 2012 Volvo S60. ABC7 described it as a BMW. The official record lists a 2012 Volvo sedan and a 2018 Honda sedan; Patch identified the second car as a 2018 Honda Accord.
Harris built a life in Brooklyn.
Katherine Harris, known as Katie, was a makeup artist and aesthetician originally from Hyde Park. Her family said she had long dreamed of moving to New York City and, after years of hard work, made Brooklyn her home.
Her boyfriend, Chris Kosar, recalled her love of baseball, music and dogs, and her support for local and Black-owned businesses. Her mother, Kim Harris, told the Daily News: "She was determined. She was smart. She was funny, and she had everything to look forward to."
Authorities cited speed and alcohol.
The official record lists alcohol involvement as a contributing factor. Brooklyn Paper reported that a blood test after the crash showed a blood alcohol concentration of .17. Authorities said vehicle data showed Trujillo was traveling 72 mph in a 25 mph zone.
The case ended with a guilty plea.
Brooklyn Paper reported that Trujillo pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to three to nine years in prison. The Daily News reported that the sentence was handed down on February 27, 2025.
Brooklyn Paper later reported that the Department of Transportation implemented mid-block crossings and traffic-signal changes along Atlantic Avenue after local leaders called for safety improvements.