Driver turning left fatally strikes 3-year-old in Harlem
Almost four
A 40-year-old driver making a left turn struck Jaynelyse Valdez, 3, at Lenox Avenue and West 135th Street at 7:40 p.m. on July 11, 2024; police said she was crossing with the walk signal, and the official record counts one pedestrian death and three pedestrian injuries.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
A 40-year-old driver making a left turn struck Jaynelyse Valdez, 3, at Lenox Avenue and West 135th Street, police said. The official record dates the crash to July 11, 2024, at 7:40 p.m. and counts one pedestrian death and three pedestrian injuries. News reports differ about which other pedestrians were struck and injured.
Accounts differ on who was struck
News 12 reported that police said the driver traveled south on Lenox Avenue, turned left onto eastbound West 135th Street, and struck four pedestrians in a marked crosswalk. The report said the driver had a green signal to turn and the pedestrians had the crossing signal.
ABC7 gave a narrower account, saying police reported that the driver struck the 2- and 3-year-old girls. The official record counts one pedestrian death and three pedestrian injuries.
Reports vary on the other children
Police identified Jaynelyse Valdez, 3, as the child who died. News 12 reported that she was from New Rochelle.
Reports differ about the other children and their relationship to the woman with them. Gothamist, NY1 and News 12 described a 37-year-old woman and two boys, ages 2 and 4 months, with Jaynelyse. ABC7 described the other children as girls of those ages and said their relationships to the woman were unclear.
The official record counts three injured pedestrians. News 12 reported minor injuries to the woman and both other children. Gothamist said the two boys were taken to the hospital with minor injuries and the mother was not seriously hurt. NY1 and ABC7 reported that the 2-year-old was injured, while the woman and infant were not.
Reports describe the vehicle differently
News 12 identified the vehicle as a 2020 Nissan Pathfinder. Gothamist described a 2020 Nissan, while ABC7 called it a Nissan SUV. The official record categorizes it as a Station Wagon/Sport Utility Vehicle.
The driver took Valdez to the hospital
Gothamist and ABC7 reported that the driver picked up Valdez and carried her to Harlem Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. News 12 said he remained at the scene and that no arrests had been made as of Friday night. CBS reported that he was questioned and would not be charged.
News 12 quoted New Rochelle resident Richard Penn: "No parent should have to bury their children."
Where
LENOX AVENUE and WEST 135 STREET