Mercedes driver rear-ends Ford on Major Deegan; man dies
Maybach Swagg
A Mercedes driver rear-ended Darryl Mathis Jr. on the southbound Major Deegan Expressway early March 22, 2025, and fled on foot; the official record places the crash at 3:47 a.m. and records one death.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
A Mercedes driver rear-ended Darryl Mathis Jr.'s Ford on the southbound Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx early March 22, 2025, according to police accounts. The official record places the fatal crash at 3:47 a.m. Mathis, 39, died at St. Barnabas Hospital, and police said the Mercedes driver fled on foot. Police told Gothamist that Mathis's Ford had stopped between the acceleration and right lanes; an initial Daily News report described the Ford as heading south when the driver was hit. Mathis promoted nightlife events and helped young people find opportunities in that industry, according to a friend. As of March 24, police had announced no arrests.
The Mercedes driver rear-ended Mathis's Ford.
Police said a Mercedes-Benz driver rear-ended the Ford Crown Victoria driven by Darryl Mathis Jr., 39, on the southbound Major Deegan Expressway. First responders took Mathis to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died. The official record places the crash at 3:47 a.m. on March 22, 2025.
Police told Gothamist that Mathis's Ford had stopped between the acceleration and right lanes. An initial Daily News report instead described the Ford as heading south when the Mercedes driver rear-ended it. Both accounts say the Mercedes driver left on foot.
The crash occurred near West Fordham Road.
The collision occurred on the southbound Major Deegan Expressway near West Fordham Road in University Heights, the Bronx. Police told Gothamist that the Ford was stopped between an acceleration lane and a right lane, placing the reported collision where traffic enters the expressway.
Mathis built a life around nightlife and mentorship.
Mathis, an Elizabeth, New Jersey, resident, promoted clubs and performers and was known in the industry as Maybach Swagg. His friend and business associate Cornelius Whitaker said Mathis tried to help young people and connect gang members with nightlife jobs. Mathis had been returning from a Bronx event with rapper Rick Ross, according to friends and social media posts reported by the Daily News.
Police continued to seek the driver.
As of March 24, the NYPD Highway District's Collision Investigation Squad was investigating, and police had announced no arrests. The southbound expressway lanes were closed for several hours after the crash, according to the Daily News.