The driver of a scooter was reportedly injured and treated at a local hospital following a motor vehicle accident on Jerome Avenue in Bedford Park on Monday in what appears to be the second collision to occur along a two-block section of the avenue, and within 10 days of a previous collision involving a bus and a car.

 

Bystander, Levan Vashakidze, told Norwood News by phone that the accident occurred at around 1.40 p.m. on Monday, May 22. When Norwood News visited the crash site later on Monday afternoon, a police car and a scooter were seen, along with some blood stains on the road beside the scooter, which was upright and located next to a pillar supporting the elevated train track over Jerome Avenue.

 

According to police radio transmissions heard that day, it was reported at around 1.44 p.m. that a driver of a scooter had apparently been hit by a truck and that the truck had fled the scene. However, at 1.56 p.m., according to the police radio transmissions, responding officers reportedly said bystanders reported that the scooter driver wasn’t hit by a truck and that he had allegedly been “popping wheelies” [elevating the scooter onto its back wheel while still in motion] and had run into one of the pillars supporting the elevated train track, serving the 4 line.

 

According to police radio transmissions, the victim was treated at St. Barnabas Hospital. Norwood News contacted both the FDNY and the NYPD for any details about the incident and both departments reported not having any information about it.

 

As reported, in the same vicinity, 10 days earlier on Friday, May 12, at 6.10 a.m. at least one person was injured in a two-vehicle, high-speed collision involving an MTA bus and a car on Jerome Avenue by East 198th Street, one block from the above-mentioned collision, also in Bedford Park, at 6.10 a.m. Vashakidze, who works in the area, also witnessed the previous collision, as reported at the time.

 

The local worker was due to send us some pictures of the latest crash. However, we have not yet received them and were unable to reach Vashakidze when we called back.

Norwood News recently reported on the sentencing of Mario Rosario on April 20 to five years’ probation and 500 hours of community service for his plea to criminally negligent homicide in the death of his son, 4-year-old Mario “Mjay” Rosario, as the two rode on a scooter and crashed into a car on August 15, 2022, as reported by Norwood News at the time. Police said the child had not been equipped with a helmet at the time of the collision.

 

Separately, we also recently reported on the prevalence of scooter and motorbike drivers driving dangerously in the local area.

 

Meanwhile, having reportedly already raised his concerns with the 52nd Precinct, Bronx resident, Noel Gonzalez, recently escalated the issue of scooter riders who don’t follow the law, along with a host of other quality-of-life complaints, to his local (District 14) city councilwoman, Pierina Sanchez, and provided a copy to Norwood News. He said, in part, on May 22, “The reckless behavior of individuals on scooters, who flagrantly disregard traffic laws, and the littering problem only exacerbate the chaotic situation in our neighborhood. In addition to my block (Kingsbridge Terrace), Bailey Avenue is in dire need of more frequent clean-ups and a stronger police presence.”

 

Gonzalez added in part, “Between the mobile homes, the van car washes at every fire hydrant, the illegal auto body shop on the sidewalk, the trash on the Deegan side of the street, the speeding vehicles and the number of cars with no plates, it would only make sense to install cameras and have a more visible police presence.”

 

Norwood News reached out to the NYPD for comment. We did not receive an immediate response. Meanwhile, in response to the issue of scooters specifically, Samantha Cardenas, chief of staff for Sanchez, replied to Gonzalez, in part, saying, “In 2021, Council Member Pierina Sanchez was hit by a moped; this is an issue she is hyperaware of. Legislation would be required at the state level to require scooter/moped drivers to have a driver’s license. Your state officials are included on this email. I will work with our counterparts to elevate these concerns.”

 

Anyone with information regarding this latest incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or on Twitter @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.