Police charged Isaac Karczag after a fatal Williamsburg crash.
Police charged Isaac Karczag after investigators said he struck 10-year-old Yitty Wertzberger while turning left; the official record places the fatal crash at Wallabout Street and Franklin Avenue at 2:33 p.m. on April 16, 2024.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
Police identified 62-year-old Isaac Karczag as the driver and said he remained at the scene. Audacy reported that NYPD investigators determined Karczag was turning left from Wallabout Street onto Franklin Avenue when he crossed the double yellow lines into eastbound traffic and struck Yitty Wertzberger, 10, who was crossing with the walk signal in a marked crosswalk. The official record places one pedestrian fatality at Wallabout Street and Franklin Avenue at 2:33 p.m. on April 16, 2024. Audacy reported that police charged Karczag with failure to yield to a pedestrian, failure to obey a traffic device and failure to exercise due care.
Investigators described a left turn across traffic.
Audacy reported that NYPD investigators determined Karczag was driving west on Wallabout Street and crossed the double yellow lines into eastbound traffic while turning left onto southbound Franklin Avenue. Investigators said he struck Wertzberger as she crossed in the marked crosswalk with the walk signal.
The official record counts one pedestrian fatality and no injuries.
Reports name different corners and times.
The official record places the crash at Wallabout Street and Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn at 2:33 p.m. on April 16, 2024. NY1 and Audacy also name Franklin Avenue, while ABC7, amNY and Fox 5 report Wallabout Street and Wythe Avenue. NY1, ABC7 and amNY report a time around 2:45 p.m.; Audacy says police responded to a 911 call at about 2:42 p.m.
The pedestrian was identified as Yitty Wertzberger.
The official record identifies the person killed as a 10-year-old pedestrian. News reports identified her as Yitty Wertzberger.
Reports differ on the vehicle description.
The official record identifies a 2022 Buick in the station wagon/SUV category. Press reports differ: Audacy describes a Buick Enclave SUV, Brooklyn Paper a 2022 Buick SUV, NY1 a Buick sedan, and ABC7 a black Honda Pilot.
Police later arrested and charged Karczag.
Audacy reported on April 17 that police arrested Karczag and charged him with failure to yield to a pedestrian, failure to obey a traffic device and failure to exercise due care. Earlier on April 16, NY1 reported that no arrests had been made, and ABC7 reported that police did not suspect criminality at that time.
NY1 and Audacy reported that Wertzberger was taken to Brooklyn Hospital Center, where she was pronounced dead.