Facebook photo courtesy of Beqir Sina
The NYPD has confirmed that a second young man has died following a horrific car crash which occurred in the Morris Park section of the Bronx, just eight days before Christmas.
NYPD Detective Denise Moroney said the crash occurred at the intersection of Morris Park Avenue and Haight Avenue at 12.15 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 16. Moroney told Norwood News, “Police responded to a 911 call of a motor vehicle collision… within the confines of the 49th Precinct.”
Photo by David Greene
She continued, “Upon arrival, officers observed a 26-year-old male vehicle operator with severe trauma to the head and a 24-year-old male vehicle passenger with severe trauma to the torso. EMS also responded to the location and pronounced the 26-year-old deceased at the scene.” Moroney added that the 24-year-old passenger was rushed to Jacobi Hospital and was initially listed in critical condition.”
She concluded, “A preliminary investigation determined that the 26-year-old male was operating a 1998 Mercedes Benz ML320, with a 24-year-old male passenger, traveling eastbound on Morris Park Avenue at a high rate of speed, disobeying numerous steady, red traffic signals, when the operator failed to properly navigate the roadway, and the vehicle struck a pole at the location.” The NYPD’s highway district’s collision investigation squad is continuing its investigation into the crash.
Photo by David Greene
The deceased driver was identified as Kreshnik “Nick” Kajtazaj, 26, of Holland Avenue in the Allerton section of the Bronx. On Sunday, Dec. 19, Moroney confirmed that the passenger in the vehicle, identified as Klaudio Becurri, 24, of Boston Road, also in Allerton, had succumbed to his injuries.
On Friday, Dec. 17, Norwood News spoke to a young man, identified as “Gazi” from Throggs Neck, who was visiting the make-shift memorial set up on Morris Park Avenue, where the crash took place. He said he wanted to pay his respects to Kajtazaj, with whom he said he had grown up. Both attended Christopher Columbus High School, also located in the Allerton section of the borough.
Photo by David Greene
According to Gazi, Kajtazaj worked as a delivery driver for a restaurant and did construction and auto mechanic work, part time. He said the two had drifted apart since Gazi graduated college.
“This was a shock because he wasn’t like other people in the streets over here, by passing red lights or anything like that,” Gazi said. “He wasn’t the type of person to show off.”
Photo by David Greene
Gazi concluded, “He just got this car, a Mercedes…once he bought it, you know, some people love to test drive by showing off, but he wasn’t that type of person at all.”
As Gazi was speaking, several vehicles double-parked at the location and several women and girls who formed part of a large group of mourners, began to cry, seemingly overcome with grief and shock. Gazi was asked if the group was Kajtazaj’s family. He said they were members of Becurri’s family.
Photo by David Greene
A photo of the crash scene, posted to social media by Beqir Sina, showed the silver Mercedes SUV pinned against the utility pole where, above the pedestrian crossing sign, hung an Albanian flag. Below the photo, Sina wrote, “Rest in peace. Nick and Klaudio will forever be in our hearts.” It’s believed that both young men were of Albanian descent.
admin
Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
English
Arabic
Bengali
Chinese (Simplified)
French
Spanish
My condolences to the family of these deceased young men, what a horrible tragedy. Please everyone, drive safely. I ride my old school bicycle from Van Nest to the South Trail or to Orchard Beach/Pelham Manor area. I won’t lie, I almost kiss the floor once every time I arrive home in one piece. I’ve had several close calls with other cars on the street.