Gary Turner faces charges after a fatal pedestrian crash in Canarsie.
Prosecutors say Gary Turner, 47, was driving under the influence when he hit a 68-year-old pedestrian at Glenwood Road and East 105th Street; the city records one pedestrian death there at 6:51 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2024.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
Prosecutors said Turner was driving west on Glenwood Road when he hit the pedestrian in the crosswalk at East 105th Street on Jan. 31, 2024. The official record gives the crash time as 6:51 p.m.; accounts in the Brooklyn Eagle and Shore News Network place it at about 6:45 p.m. Prosecutors said a breath test showed a blood alcohol level of .132, and Turner was charged in an indictment that included second-degree vehicular manslaughter and vehicular assault.
At Glenwood Road and East 105th Street
The official record places the crash at this Brooklyn intersection at 6:51 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2024, and counts one pedestrian killed. The Brooklyn Eagle, citing prosecutors, reported that the pedestrian was in the crosswalk and Turner was driving west on Glenwood Road.
Accounts differ on the time: the Brooklyn Eagle and Shore News Network report about 6:45 p.m., the New York Post says around 6:50 p.m., and CBS says just before 7 p.m. News reports place the intersection in Canarsie.
The people involved
The pedestrian
The New York Post identified the 68-year-old pedestrian as Louis Garcia and said he was from South Slope. The Brooklyn Eagle and Shore News Network spelled his first name Luis.
The driver
The Brooklyn Eagle identified Gary Turner, 47, as the driver and a Canarsie resident. Prosecutors alleged he was driving under the influence.
Accounts place the pedestrian in the crosswalk
The Brooklyn Eagle, citing the district attorney, reported that Turner was driving west on Glenwood Road when he hit Garcia in the crosswalk, throwing him to the ground. CBS also reported that the pedestrian was in the crosswalk and the driver was traveling west.
Reports differ on where Garcia was pronounced dead or later died. CBS said he was pronounced dead at the scene. The New York Post reported that he was taken to Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center and pronounced dead there after severe head trauma. The Brooklyn Eagle reported that he later died from severe blunt trauma to the chest and head at Brooklyn University Hospital. The official record counts one pedestrian killed in the crash but does not establish where he died.
Reports describe the vehicle differently
The New York Post and Brooklyn Eagle described the vehicle Turner drove as a 2017 Dodge Caravan; CBS called it a van. The official crash record lists a 2017 Dodge and classifies it as a station wagon or sport utility vehicle.
Prosecutors alleged alcohol impairment
The official crash record lists alcohol involvement as a contributing factor. The Brooklyn Eagle reported that prosecutors cited slurred speech, red eyes and an odor of alcohol, and said a breath test showed a blood alcohol level of .132, above the legal limit of .08.
Turner was taken into custody and charged
CBS reported that the 47-year-old driver stayed at the scene and police took him into custody. The New York Post identified the arrested driver as Turner and said responding officers arrested him there.
Reports list different charges. The New York Post reported charges including vehicular manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, driving while intoxicated, driving while ability impaired and an equipment violation. The Brooklyn Eagle reported that Turner was indicted on second-degree vehicular manslaughter, second-degree vehicular assault and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence. The Eagle said bail was set at $150,000 cash or $300,000 bond, with an April 16, 2024, return date.