Teen Driver Charged After Fatal Ocean Parkway Sidewalk Crash
On June 7, 2023, at Ocean Parkway and Avenue M, police said a 17-year-old Tesla driver mounted the sidewalk and fatally injured 76-year-old Milorad Rajacic; the official record lists one pedestrian killed and one injured.
What We Know
A 76-year-old man walking near Ocean Parkway at Avenue M in Brooklyn was killed when a Tesla sedan driver traveling straight hit him with the car’s left front. According to the police report, the pedestrian was at the intersection but not in the roadway. Police recorded driver inattention and unsafe speed as contributing factors in the crash, which happened on an after-dark evening.
Police described a sidewalk hit-and-run
Police told reporters that the 17-year-old driver was traveling north on Ocean Parkway when he lost control near Avenue M and mounted the sidewalk, hitting Milorad Rajacic. The Post reported that the driver also hit a city traffic signal pole, continued on the sidewalk, hit a bench area where a 24-year-old man was sitting, and hit a parked motorcycle.
The official record lists one pedestrian killed and one pedestrian injured. It records driver inattention or distraction as a contributing factor; the detailed vehicle record for the sedan also lists unsafe speed.
Milorad Rajacic was close to home
The Daily News identified the man who died as Milorad Rajacic, 76. His wife, Emilia Rajacic, told the paper he had been walking home after doing maintenance work at a nearby building. His son Peter Rajacic said the family was in shock and described him as hard-working and tough.
The Post reported that Rajacic suffered severe trauma to his head and torso and was taken to Maimonides Medical Center, where he died. The 24-year-old man who had been sitting on the bench was also taken to Maimonides with minor leg injuries and was listed in stable condition.
Ocean Parkway has a long crash record
The crash was recorded at Ocean Parkway and Avenue M in Brooklyn.
CrashCountNYC location data for Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn shows 1,741 crashes, 1,281 injuries, 62 serious injuries and 7 deaths since 2022.
Police arrested the teen driver nearby
The Post reported that the teen driver ran from the damaged Tesla and that police arrested him nearby. The paper said police charged him with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.
Public records and press accounts give different times for the crash. The official record lists 9:18 p.m.; the Daily News reported about 9:20 p.m.; the Post reported about 10:20 p.m.