Driver fled after fatal Bay Ridge crosswalk crash.
How is he?
A driver in a white SUV struck 74-year-old Segundo Reina-Gaon in a crosswalk at Ridge Boulevard and Bay Ridge Avenue in Brooklyn at 8:56 p.m. on September 11, 2024, then left the scene, police said; the official record lists one pedestrian killed.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
Police said a northbound driver in a white SUV struck Reina-Gaon as he crossed Ridge Boulevard at Bay Ridge Avenue, then left the scene. Reports said he was taken to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, where he was pronounced dead. A fundraiser for his family had raised more than $6,000 by September 24; Reina-Gaon was a father of five and grandfather of 20.
The driver left the scene.
ABC7 reported that Reina-Gaon was crossing west to east in the crosswalk when a northbound driver in a white SUV hit him and pushed him into a parked car. The driver continued away, and several parked cars were damaged.
ABC7 reported that Reina-Gaon was taken to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, where he was pronounced dead. The official record lists one pedestrian killed and zero people injured.
Residents had raised safety concerns nearby.
The official record and several reports place the crash at Ridge Boulevard and Bay Ridge Avenue in Bay Ridge; a FOX5 report described it as near Ridge Avenue.
State Sen. Andrew Gounardes said he had discussed safety concerns with city Department of Transportation officials one block away two days earlier. ABC7 also quoted residents concerned about reckless driving and crossing neighborhood streets.
Reports describe a white SUV, while the official entries include more detail.
ABC7 and other reports described a white SUV traveling north. The official record lists a northbound moving Honda and a parked Dodge, both in the combined Station Wagon/Sport Utility Vehicle category. A September 12 New York Post report said detectives were still determining the SUV's make and model.
Patch reported that the driver had a passenger, while the official record lists one occupant in the moving entry. The sources do not reconcile this difference.
A family fund drew support from Bay Ridge.
Brooklyn Paper reported that Reina-Gaon was a father of five and grandfather of 20. Yessica Rivera created a fundraiser for his family that had raised more than $6,000 toward a $15,000 goal by September 24.
Community Board 10 District Manager Josephine Beckmann said her understanding from local residents was that Reina-Gaon worked locally and had family in Ecuador who were struggling financially to make final arrangements. She described him as a supportive family man who would be missed.
The investigation remained open in September.
ABC7 reported that police were reviewing surveillance video, and the Daily News reported that the NYPD Highway Collision Investigation Squad was investigating.
Brooklyn Paper reported that no arrests had been made as of September 12. Its September 24 report said precinct commanding officer Kristen Schafer had described the case as still under investigation at a neighborhood meeting the previous week.