Two Drivers Fatally Hit 74-Year-Old on FDR Drive
The official record lists one pedestrian death on FDR Drive at 8:43 p.m. April 15, 2026, and police told reporters two 55-year-old drivers hit Derek Coker as he crossed near the East Houston Street exit.
What We Know
Derek Coker, 74, was crossing Manhattan's FDR Drive on the night of April 15, 2026, when police said two drivers hit him near the East Houston Street exit. The city crash record lists one pedestrian death at 8:43 p.m. on FDR Drive and records an SUV and a sedan traveling north. News accounts said medics took Coker to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Both drivers stayed at the scene, and police reported no immediate arrests or charges. The accounts disagree on one vehicle detail: Gothamist and the official record describe the Chevrolet as an SUV, while the Daily News described it as a sedan.
Official Crash Data
Collision ID
4892144
Date
April 15, 2026
Time
8:43 p.m.
Location
FDR Dr
Fatalities
1
Pedestrians killed
1
Vehicles listed
SUV, Sedan, Station Wagon/Sport Utility Vehicle
Police said two drivers hit Coker as he crossed the highway
Medics took Coker to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The official crash record lists one person killed, a pedestrian, and no other reported injuries.
Near the East Houston Street exit on FDR Drive
The crash was recorded on FDR Drive in Manhattan. Police told both outlets that Coker was near the East Houston Street exit; Gothamist reported that he was crossing the highway from west to east near the Lower East Side.
The official person record says Coker was a pedestrian crossing outside an intersection, with no signal or crosswalk recorded.
Coker was identified as a 74-year-old Queens resident
Police identified the man who died as Derek Coker. The Daily News reported that he lived in Queens, and Gothamist reported that his last known address was in Jamaica, Queens.
Police said both drivers were 55 years old and remained at the scene. The Daily News reported no immediate charges, while Gothamist reported no immediate arrests.
Records and reports differ on the Chevrolet description
The official crash record lists a 2025 Chevrolet SUV and a 2024 Mitsubishi sedan, both traveling north before the crash. Gothamist likewise described the Chevrolet as an SUV and the Mitsubishi as a sedan.
The Daily News described the Chevrolet as a black sedan. Both articles described the Mitsubishi as silver.
Investigators focused on why Coker was on the highway
Gothamist reported that officials were investigating why Coker was crossing the FDR Drive. The Daily News cited a police source who said surveillance video showed Coker climbing over a divider before trying to cross.
The official record lists pedestrian error or confusion as a contributing factor for Coker and records that he was crossing with no signal or crosswalk.