School bus driver fatally strikes 9-year-old boy in Williamsburg.
A 49-year-old school bus driver making a left turn struck and killed a 9-year-old boy at Lee Avenue and Lorimer Street in Brooklyn on May 1, 2026; the crash record gives the time as 8:16 a.m.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
Police said the driver was turning left from Lee Avenue onto Lorimer Street when he struck the boy. The crash record lists failure to yield as a contributing factor. Reports differ about how the driver returned to the scene, and about where the boy was pronounced dead. Gothamist reported the five-way intersection lacked crosswalk markings after recent road work; News 12 later reported that the markings were repainted and traffic officers were assigned there.
Reports differ about what happened after impact.
Police told CBS New York that a 49-year-old school bus driver was turning left from Lee Avenue onto Lorimer Street when he struck the boy as he crossed. The official record lists failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor.
CBS reported that the driver said he had not realized he struck the child and returned after being notified. The Daily News reported that someone flagged him down; News 12 reported that authorities located the driver and brought the bus back, and also described onlookers flagging him down.
Reports also conflict about where the boy was pronounced dead. CBS and the Daily News reported that he died at Woodhull Hospital, ABC7 reported that he was pronounced dead at the scene, and The Brooklyn Paper reported that he was pronounced dead at Maimonides Medical Center.
The boy was on his way to school.
The Daily News reported that the boy was walking to school and was five blocks from home. News 12 and the Daily News reported that police identified him as Joel Jacobowitz; Streetsblog rendered his name as Yoel Jacobowitz.
News 12 attributed his connection to Williamsburg's Orthodox Jewish community to residents. Streetsblog reported that mourners filled the street for a funeral service that afternoon; News 12 attributed a private burial in New Jersey to community sources.
Road work left the five-way junction without crosswalk markings.
Lee Avenue, Lorimer Street and Wallabout Street meet at a five-way intersection in Williamsburg. Gothamist reported that the junction lacked crosswalk markings when the crash happened, after recent repaving.
Gothamist reported that the Department of Transportation's safety project included a curb extension and pedestrian island intended to reduce turning speeds and shorten crossing distances. Council Member Lincoln Restler called for new markings and a review of pedestrian signal timing.
The city repainted the crossings after the crash.
News 12 later reported that the city repainted crosswalk markings and that NYPD traffic officers were stationed at the intersection daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Restler also urged the city to consider a pedestrian scramble, which would stop traffic in all directions to let people cross.
The Daily News reported on May 2 that no charges had been filed and police were still investigating.