Driver flees after nurse is killed in Sunset Park hit-and-run.
After the Night Shift
Police told CBS that a driver traveling south on Third Avenue struck nurse Jiayi Zheng, 28, as she crossed at 55th Street in Sunset Park just after 7:30 a.m.; medics took her to NYU Langone-Brooklyn, where she was pronounced dead.
Reported by press, not yet linked to NYC police crash records. This may change when new official records become available or when matching details are reviewed.
Approximate reported location.
What We Know
Police told CBS that a driver traveling south on Third Avenue struck 28-year-old nurse Jiayi Zheng as she crossed at 55th Street and left the scene. The incident date is inferred from an amNY report published Sept. 1, 2026, that identifies the crash as Aug. 29; published accounts place it between just after 7:30 and around 7:40 a.m. Reports differ on the Cadillac's body style: CBS described a 2014 Cadillac sedan, while the Daily News described an Escalade. Reports also differ on Zheng's position before impact and whether the driver slowed afterward. Medics took her to NYU Langone-Brooklyn, where she was pronounced dead. Police had made no arrest by Aug. 31, as calls grew for a Third Avenue safety redesign.
The driver left after Zheng was struck.
Police told CBS that a driver traveling south on Third Avenue struck Zheng as she crossed at 55th Street and left the scene. EMS took her to NYU Langone-Brooklyn, where she was pronounced dead.
The incident date is inferred from an amNY report published Sept. 1, 2026, that identifies the crash as Aug. 29. Published accounts give approximate times: News 12 said just after 7:30 a.m., the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported 7:35 a.m., and The Brooklyn Paper said around 7:40 a.m.
Reports differ on the moments around impact.
The Daily News's review of surveillance footage said Zheng waited for the light before entering the crosswalk and was halfway across, past the median, when the driver struck her. FOX5 described her as within the marked crosswalk waiting for her walk signal at impact; ABC7 reported she had the right of way and crossed the first of three crosswalks before impact. These accounts differ about her position and movements and do not establish one reconciled sequence.
News 12 said its video showed the Cadillac continuing through the intersection without appearing to slow. The Daily News described the driver briefly tapping the brakes after impact before continuing south. The Daily News also reported that State Sen. Andrew Gounardes said the driver ran a red light.
Colleagues remembered Zheng's compassion.
Zheng, 28, was a nurse in NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn's medical-surgical unit and was heading home after an overnight shift, News 12 reported. Hospital sources described her as "always positive and in a good mood."
Gothamist reported that the Federation of Nurses/UFT confirmed Zheng was a member. UFT Vice President Anne Goldman said, "We grieve her loss and honor her memory by recognizing the kindness and compassion she brought to our work and our community."
Reports describe the Cadillac differently.
CBS reported that police described the driver's vehicle as a 2014 Cadillac sedan. The Daily News described a Cadillac Escalade. Other reports called it a 2014 Cadillac but did not resolve the subtype difference.
The crash happened beneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
The crash occurred at Third Avenue and 55th Street in Sunset Park, beneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Gothamist reported. Transportation Alternatives said six pedestrians and five cyclists had been killed along the two-mile stretch since 2014.
Gothamist reported that a Department of Transportation redesign presented in 2023 was put on hold under former Mayor Eric Adams. CBS reported that on Aug. 31 Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city would move forward with a redesign of Third Avenue.
Police continued searching for the driver.
As of Aug. 31, no arrest had been made and the investigation was ongoing, CBS reported. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle said the NYPD Highway District's Collision Investigation Squad was investigating.