Uber or Lyft Driver Hits and Kills Pedestrian in Midtown
A 47-year-old Uber or Lyft driver in a 2023 Toyota Highlander hit John Horan, 34, near West 36th Street and 7th Avenue, where the official record recorded one pedestrian death.
What We Know
Police said a 47-year-old Uber or Lyft driver in a 2023 Toyota Highlander hit John Horan, 34, as Horan crossed south on 36th Street near 7th Avenue at about 11:30 p.m. on May 29, 2024. Officers found Horan unconscious and unresponsive and took him to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The official crash record lists one pedestrian death at West 36th Street and 7th Avenue and cites driver inattention or distraction for the SUV driver; a fatal-person record also lists alcohol involvement for Horan. Police told Gothamist they could not say whether Horan was in the crosswalk or had a walk signal. The driver stayed at the scene and was not immediately charged while detectives investigated whether traffic infractions played a role.
Police said Horan was crossing 36th Street
According to NYPD officials cited by Gothamist, John Horan was crossing south on 36th Street near 7th Avenue around 11:30 p.m. when a 47-year-old Uber or Lyft driver in a 2023 Toyota Highlander hit him. The official record places the fatal pedestrian crash at West 36th Street and 7th Avenue at 11:31 p.m. on May 29, 2024.
Horan died at Bellevue
Officers found Horan unconscious and unresponsive and took him to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police told Gothamist.
A deadly crash at a busy 7th Avenue intersection
The crash happened at West 36th Street and 7th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. CrashCountNYC location data for 7th Avenue in Manhattan shows 1,132 crashes, 605 injuries, 52 serious injuries and 5 deaths since 2022, placing Horan's death on a corridor with a sustained record of traffic harm.
The driver was in a Toyota Highlander
Gothamist reported that police identified the driver as a 47-year-old operating an Uber or Lyft in a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The official record describes the vehicle as a 2023 Toyota SUV, with one occupant, traveling east and going straight ahead before the crash.
Investigators left key questions open
The official crash record lists driver inattention or distraction as a contributing factor for the SUV driver, and a fatal-person record lists alcohol involvement for Horan. Police told Gothamist they could not say whether Horan was in the crosswalk or had a walk signal, and said detectives were still investigating whether any traffic infractions played a role.