Investigators continue to piece together events leading up to a fatal crash, previously reported by the Norwood News, where a motorcycle crashed into the back of a work truck contracted by New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), at the end of the morning rush-hour.

The crash was reported at 9:56 a.m. on Tuesday, March 9, on the northbound Major Deegan Expressway, between the East 233rd Street exit in Woodlawn Heights and the McLean Avenue exit in Yonkers.

According to an unnamed NYPD official, responding officers from the 50th precinct arrived at the crash scene and “observed a 58-year-old male victim with severe trauma to his head and torso.”

 

The victim was rushed to Montefiore Hospital North, where he died a short time later.

 

The police statement reported that the victim, identified as Gregory Holmes, 58, of White Plains, N.Y., was driving a 2007 Kawasaki motorcycle and was traveling in the northbound lane.

The statement continued, “He attempted to pass traffic by driving into the left lane, colliding with a DOT barrier truck attenuator which was stopped in the lane. The investigation is ongoing by the New York City Police Department’s Highway Patrol Collision Investigation Squad.”

 

Freelance photographer, Toby Norwood, took some photos as he passed the crash scene, and said the motorcycle rider had passed him on the highway at an estimated speed of 80-miles-per-hour. Referring to the DOT-contracted, stationary truck involved in the collision, Norwood said, “They had no cones up where they were working. They had none of it up and he hit the back of the truck.”

 

A call was placed by the Norwood News with the DOT with a request for comment on Wednesday, March 10. Department officials did not immediately respond to the request.

 

Gail Williams, a neighbor of the victim, told the Norwood News she had known Holmes for a long time. “I can say something – he was a wonderful husband and father, very dedicated to his family, a deacon at his church, a great neighbor and friend.”