Traffic Justice
Streetsblog Basics
Victim’s Family to NYPD: Tell Us What Happened to Our Son
The family of Mathieu Lefevre, the 30-year-old artist killed by a hit-and-run driver while riding his bike in East Williamsburg last week, was joined by dozens of supporters outside 1 Police Plaza today to demand that NYPD rein in deadly driving and end its policy of silence when it comes to fatal traffic crashes.
October 26, 2011
Tomorrow: Rally at One Police Plaza Calling on NYPD to Uphold Traffic Laws
Last week, Mathieu Lefevre was biking south on Morgan Avenue in East Williamsburg when he was killed by a truck driver turning right from Morgan onto Meserole Street. The driver parked a short distance away and left the scene. After trying to locate the driver for days, the NYPD finally tracked him down, but as Gothamist's John Del Signore reported yesterday, they're not going to file charges. Police say the driver was not aware he struck Lefevre, who died before ambulances reached the scene.
October 25, 2011
One Year After Taking Effect, State’s Vulnerable User Laws Gathering Dust
Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of the adoption of Hayley and Diego's Law, which established the charge of "careless driving" in New York State and gave police and prosecutors a new tool to hold motorists who injure pedestrians and cyclists accountable. Unfortunately, says Transportation Alternatives, over the past 12 months the law has gone largely unenforced by NYPD.
October 13, 2011
New York’s Highest Court “Systematically Decriminalizing” Vehicular Killings
The manslaughter plea of David McKie, sentenced earlier this month for running down Manhattan pedestrian Karen Schmeer as he fled police following a petty theft, points to a trend in vehicular crimes law that is resulting in lighter sentences for drivers who kill.
September 22, 2011
Must-Read: 94th Pct Detectives Blew Off Near-Fatal Hit-and-Run Investigation
Camille Dodero at the Village Voice brings us the most in-depth piece of NYC traffic justice reporting in recent memory. It's the story of Michelle Matson, who was struck from behind and left for dead by a hit-and-run driver while she was riding her bike in Greenpoint last October. While Matson and her boyfriend, James Paz, who was also injured in the collision, knew the NYPD had identified the vehicle that struck them, they were repeatedly rebuffed by the detective assigned to the case when they pressed him about the investigation into who had been driving that night.
August 17, 2011
Raquel Nelson Sentenced to Year of Probation, Granted Option of New Trial
Raquel Nelson, the Georgia mother who was convicted of vehicular homicide after a motorist killed her 4-year-old son as she crossed the street with him, was given the option of seeking a new trial at her sentencing today, the Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting.
July 26, 2011
Raquel Nelson Speaks on the Today Show About Her Son and Her Court Case
We've written quite a bit about Raquel Nelson over the past week or so, but now, we'll let her speak for herself. The Today Show devoted an eight-minute segment to her case this morning, including an interview with Raquel.
July 25, 2011
The Streets and the Courts Failed Raquel Nelson. Can Advocacy Save Her?
Last week, we reported on the horrific story of Raquel Nelson, whose four-year-old son was killed as she attempted to cross the street with him to reach their home. Nelson was convicted of reckless conduct, improperly crossing a roadway and second-degree homicide by vehicle, all for the crime of being a pedestrian in the car-centric Atlanta suburbs. The conviction carried a sentence of up to 36 months, while the driver who killed Nelson's son -- who'd been drinking and using painkillers before getting behind the wheel -- got off with six months on a hit-and-run charge.
July 22, 2011
Unlicensed Driver Pays the Price for Killing Laurence Renard: $500
The unlicensed dump truck driver who struck and killed an Upper East Side woman last winter will walk away with a $500 fine.
July 13, 2011
Alan Dershowitz: Vance Dragging His Feet on Fatal Crash Investigation
Adam Lemire at the Daily News reports that Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz is losing patience with the office of Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance. Dershowitz's sister-in-law, Marilyn Dershowitz, was killed by a postal truck driver as she biked on West 29th Street last weekend. The driver left the scene and had to be tracked down using surveillance footage. He was not charged; police said he did not realize he'd struck someone.
July 8, 2011