Driver charged after Agustina Muniz killed in Brooklyn crosswalk
A dump truck driver making a left turn at Kingsland Avenue and Richardson Street hit and killed Agustina Muniz as she crossed with the signal, and police later arrested Luis Gutierrez on a manslaughter charge.
What We Know
Agustina Muniz was crossing Kingsland Avenue at Richardson Street in Brooklyn on the morning of Aug. 21, 2023, when a dump truck driver making a left turn hit her. The city crash record says the pedestrian was crossing with the signal and lists traffic-control disregard as a contributing factor. Gothamist reported that the driver did not remain at the scene. The Daily News later reported that Luis Gutierrez, 28, surrendered to police after a grand jury indictment and was awaiting arraignment on a manslaughter charge; a lawyer for Muniz’s family said dashcam video showed the driver going through a red light before the turn.
A left turn in the crosswalk
The crash happened at about 6:41 a.m. on Aug. 21, 2023, at Kingsland Avenue and Richardson Street in Brooklyn. The official record says a dump truck driver was making a left turn and hit a pedestrian who was at the intersection and crossing with the signal.
Gothamist reported that the driver hit the woman while turning left from Richardson Street onto Kingsland Avenue and did not remain at the scene. Medics took her to NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, where she was pronounced dead.
Agustina Muniz was identified in later reporting
The city crash record identifies the person killed as a female pedestrian. The Daily News identified her as Agustina Muniz, 86, and reported that a lawyer for her family described her as a beloved grandmother.
The record and reporting point to a red-light turn
The official crash record lists traffic-control disregard as the crash’s contributing factor, and the truck record also lists driver inattention or distraction. The Daily News reported that a lawyer for Muniz’s family said dashcam video showed the driver stopped at a red light before going through it and turning into the crosswalk.
Police later said the driver surrendered
The Daily News reported that Luis Gutierrez, 28, of Washington Heights, surrendered to police and had been indicted by a grand jury. He was awaiting arraignment on a manslaughter charge. The same report said the family’s lawyer planned a lawsuit against Gutierrez and J Brothers Trucking, described as his employer.
Where
Kingsland Ave & Richardson St