Driver fleeing police chase hits two women, killing one in Bushwick • Brooklyn Paper

A driver speeding away from police during a police chase struck two women, killing one, in Bushwick Thursday evening.

Police said the driver, who has not been identified, fled a traffic stop near the intersection of Wilson Avenue and Eldert Street in a 2024 Mazda CX-5 around 5 p.m. on May 9. They then fled through two stop signs on Knickerbocker Avenue, swerved to avoid another car and struck two pedestrians, a 44-year-old woman and a 71-year-old woman, as they crossed Eldert Street.

Both women, reportedly mother and daughter, remained unconscious on the street. Paramedics took the 71-year-old woman, later identified as Juanita Vidal of Bushwick, to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The younger victim, whose name was not released, was taken to NYC Health+Hospitals/Elmhurst, where he was in critical but stable condition as of May 10.

After hitting the pedestrians, the driver crashed into a parked van, then jumped out of his vehicle and fled the scene. The investigation was ongoing as of May 10 and police have not yet arrested the driver.

Police pursuits in New York City have increased significantly under Mayor Eric Adams, news outlet THE CITY reported last year. Car chases are supposed to be a last resort and ended “when the danger to the public outweighs the benefit of apprehending the perpetrator,” the outlet reported, but some officials said police are no longer following those guidelines.

“We are heartbroken to hear that a 71-year-old woman was killed by traffic violence in Bushwick,” safe streets advocacy group Transportation Alternatives said on the website X. “Driving a vehicle at high speeds poses a danger to everyone on the road, and police chases are no exception. “We must ban police chases not just in policy but in practice.”