Driver Charged With Murder After Fatal Bed-Stuy Hit-Run
After the Concert
A driver was later charged with murder after Tiffany Cifuni, a 32-year-old pedestrian in the official crash record, was fatally dragged following a fender bender in Bed-Stuy, prosecutors said.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
Tiffany Cifuni, 32, died after a late-night crash at Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Van Buren Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Police and prosecutors said Chaquasia Pigford, 28, rear-ended Cifuni's Toyota, then accelerated into her after Cifuni got out near the other driver. Press accounts and prosecutors said the driver dragged Cifuni and fled on foot after additional collisions. Cifuni was taken to Kings County Hospital, where she died. Pigford was later arrested and indicted on second-degree murder, manslaughter, leaving the scene and other counts; the Brooklyn Eagle reported that she was ordered held without bail.
After a fender bender, prosecutors say the driver accelerated
The city crash record places the fatal crash at 11:55 p.m. on May 24, 2025, at Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Van Buren Street in Brooklyn, with one pedestrian killed.
Prosecutors said Chaquasia Pigford rear-ended Tiffany Cifuni's Toyota, stopped after Cifuni followed for about two blocks, then accelerated into Cifuni after she got out near the Chevy driver. Press accounts said the driver dragged Cifuni and fled on foot after additional collisions.
The fatal encounter unfolded in Bedford-Stuyvesant
The official record lists the crash on Marcus Garvey Boulevard at Van Buren Street, in the 11221 ZIP code. News accounts describe the scene as Bedford-Stuyvesant and also place parts of the escape route on Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Lafayette Avenue.
Sources do not describe the exact same point for every part of the sequence: the official record centers the crash at Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Van Buren Street, while early police reporting cited by Gothamist described a woman being struck at Lafayette Avenue and Marcus Garvey Boulevard.
Tiffany Cifuni was pregnant and heading home from a concert
Relatives identified the woman who died as Tiffany Cifuni. ABC7 and the Daily News reported that she was pregnant and had been heading home from a Beyonce concert; her husband, James Cifuni, told the Daily News, "I lost my whole family tonight and I don't think I'll ever be the same."
The official crash record identifies the person who died as a 32-year-old female pedestrian. Press accounts reported that emergency medical workers took Cifuni to Kings County Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Accounts identify a Toyota, a Chevy and other damaged vehicles
Press accounts and prosecutors said Cifuni had been driving a 2021 Toyota 4Runner and Pigford had been driving a 2016 Chevrolet Trax. The official crash record lists an SUV going straight ahead, two parked vehicles, and vehicle types that include SUVs and a sedan.
Reporters cited police saying the fleeing driver later collided with parked vehicles; later prosecution accounts said surveillance cameras and eyewitnesses helped lead to Pigford's arrest.
Pigford was arrested and indicted weeks later
Police arrested Chaquasia Pigford, 28, in June. The Brooklyn Eagle, citing the district attorney, reported that she was arraigned on an indictment charging second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, first-degree reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident without reporting and other counts.
The Brooklyn Eagle reported that Justice Dena Douglas ordered Pigford held without bail and set a July 30, 2025, return date. The article said she faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count.