A pursuing officer reportedly crossed into Samuel Williams' path before a fatal bridge crash.
A pursuing officer crossed the double yellow line into Samuel Williams' path, according to the Daily News' account of body-camera footage, in a crash the official record places at 5:45 p.m. on May 28, 2023, on University Heights Bridge.
Location under review.
What We Know
A pursuing officer crossed into Williams' path, according to the Daily News' account of body-camera footage. News 12 reported police characterized Williams' driving as reckless and said he collided with an unmarked cruiser; his family's attorney, Jamie Santana, said an officer crossed the yellow line into oncoming traffic. The official record identifies Williams, 36, as the motorbike driver killed in a May 28, 2023 crash on University Heights Bridge. His family later sued the NYPD and sought criminal charges.
The accounts differ on the collision sequence
The Daily News reported that body-camera footage showed an officer pursuing dirt-bike riders crossing the double yellow line into Williams' path. News 12 reported police characterized Williams' driving as reckless and said he collided with an unmarked cruiser; his family's attorney, Jamie Santana, said an officer crossed the yellow line into oncoming traffic.
Reports also differed on when Williams died. The Daily News said he died at St. Barnabas Hospital the following day; News 12 reported that he died hours after the collision.
Reports place the bridge in different boroughs
The official crash record lists University Heights Bridge in the Bronx. The Daily News described the bridge as being in Manhattan and reported that Williams entered it toward the Bronx.
Records and reports describe the vehicles differently
The official record lists a sedan and a motorbike and identifies Williams as the motorbike's driver. Both news reports describe his ride as a dirt bike. News 12 called the other vehicle an unmarked cruiser; the Daily News reported that the city billed the family for damage to a police vehicle.
Family and coworkers remembered Williams
The official record lists Williams as 36. The Daily News reported that he worked at a convenience store and that his daughter struggled after his death. News 12 reported a memorial grew outside the store and candles appeared in the lobby of his family's apartment.
His sister Shari-Anne Williams told News 12, "He was a loving father, he adored his daughter, he was a family guy." She also said, "We want justice."
The family sought accountability
By December 2024, Williams' family was suing the NYPD and demanding criminal charges against the officer, whom the Daily News identified as Perez. The paper reported that the NYPD had not provided details because of pending litigation.