Driver in White SUV Fatally Hits Bay Ridge Pedestrian, Flees
How is he?
At 8:56 p.m. on Sept. 11, 2024, a driver in a white SUV hit 74-year-old Segundo Reina-Gaon at Ridge Boulevard and Bay Ridge Avenue in Bay Ridge, then fled, police told reporters.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
Segundo Reina-Gaon, 74, was crossing Ridge Boulevard at Bay Ridge Avenue at about 8:56 p.m. on Sept. 11, 2024, when a driver in a white SUV traveling north hit him in the crosswalk, police told reporters. News accounts said the impact pushed him into a parked car and damaged several parked vehicles. Paramedics took Reina-Gaon to NYU Langone-Brooklyn, where he was pronounced dead. The city crash record lists one pedestrian death, a northbound SUV, a parked SUV, and driver inattention or distraction for the northbound driver. Police and local officials said the driver fled, and the case remained under investigation later in September.
Police said the driver left after the crosswalk impact
Police said Reina-Gaon was crossing Ridge Boulevard at Bay Ridge Avenue shortly before 9 p.m. when a driver in a white SUV traveling north on Ridge Boulevard hit him in the crosswalk. Brooklyn Paper and ABC7 reported that the impact pushed him into a parked car; the city crash record lists a northbound SUV and a parked SUV at the scene.
Paramedics took Reina-Gaon to NYU Langone-Brooklyn, where he was pronounced dead. Reporters said police reviewed surveillance video as investigators worked to identify the driver.
The crash happened at a Bay Ridge corner already drawing concern
The official crash record places the collision at Ridge Boulevard and Bay Ridge Avenue in Brooklyn’s 11220 zip code.
State Sen. Andrew Gounardes wrote that the fatal crash happened one block from where he had discussed safety concerns with city transportation officials two days earlier. Neighbors also told ABC7 that crashes and reckless driving were a recurring worry in the area.
Segundo Reina-Gaon was remembered by family and neighbors
A Brooklyn Paper follow-up reported that Yessica Rivera created a GoFundMe for Reina-Gaon’s family and that he was a father of five and grandfather of 20. The campaign had raised more than $6,000 toward a $15,000 goal by Sept. 24.
In a note on the campaign, Rivera thanked Bay Ridge for its support and wrote, “Let’s not forget him and remember his life and his contributions as we celebrate his life spiritually.”
The city record cites driver inattention
The city crash record lists driver inattention or distraction as a contributing factor for the northbound SUV’s driver. Reviewed news accounts reported that the driver left the scene after hitting Reina-Gaon.
Police sought the driver as the community raised support
Police asked the public for tips after the crash, and Brooklyn Paper reported on Sept. 24 that officers had not released additional information about the driver. At a 68th Precinct council meeting, Commanding Officer Kristen Schafer said the case was “still under investigation.”