The Bronx Crime Report is a regular feature on the Norwood News’ Breaking Bronx blog that is published weekly (usually on Mondays). It will include the latest crime statistics for the 52nd Precinct — Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham-Bedford, and parts of Fordham, University Heights and Kingsbridge Heights — as well as crime updates, stories and features from throughout the Bronx.

The Stories

Bedford Park Woman Killed on Mosholu Parkway

A 63-year old Bedford Park woman died Sunday after being hit by an out-of-control car while walking on the grassy divider in the middle of Mosholu Parkway — a field where a large group of children were playing football just a day earlier.

Cops and paramedics were called to the parkway at 3:45 p.m., on Sunday, March 17, to find the victim, Bedford Park resident Sook-Ja Kim, suffering from life-threatening injuries after being hit from behind by a green 1997 Honda sedan.

Emergency Medical Services reported that the woman suffered “severe trauma to the chest,” and was transported to St. Barnabas Hospital, where she later died.

One witness, a 26-year old local resident who would only give his first name, Roberto, said he was traveling with his family, including a young child, when the accident took place.

After showing an investigator where the unidentified driver turned into oncoming traffic at Van Cortlandt Avenue East, Roberto said, “I was going up the hill and we saw everything.”

Roberto added, “You would think your safe crossing in the middle of the parkway, but that’s the way the world is, it’s messed up like that.”

A second witness, Norwood resident and single dad Marcelino Hernandez, said, “I saw the car cross the highway and driving in the wrong direction. He was going like 100 miles-per-hour, yes. The guy was sick or something was wrong with the young driver.”

About a month ago, near the exact same spot around Bainbridge Avenue, an Access-a-Ride van transporting patients to a local hospital crashed, but no one was injured. A little more than a year ago, a teacher named Justin Bravo crashed his motorcycle on the parkway just a few blocks away underneath the Jerome Avenue overpass.

“I cross here all the time with my kids,” Hernandez said about the area of the parkway at Bainbridge Avenue. “It’s not safe, you’re not suppose to play there. Nobody should be there. This roadway is very dangerous.”

Having learned that there was speculation that the driver had an epileptic seizure, Hernandez said he felt new laws should be created for drivers who take medication when they shouldn’t, or drivers who don’t take medication when they should.

Police officials would only say that a 22-year-old Hispanic male was driving a 1997 Honda Accord that was traveling southbound on Mosholu Parkway “when it entered the park area and struck the victim.”

According to NYPD spokesman Detective Joseph Capitolo, “There were no summonses issued and no arrests, but we’re still investigating.”

Numerous sources report that the driver was taken to the 52nd Precinct for questioning before he was transported and evaluated at a local hospital.

The victim, Kim, 63, lived a short distance from where she died, on Bedford Park Boulevard.

Neighbors say Kim was a kind woman who worked at a nail salon and had lived in the building for more than a decade.

At press time, Kim’s family was said to be finalizing plans to fly in from South Korea to prepare her funeral arrangements.
–David Greene

Melrose Blogger Arrested After Recording Police Encounter
Ed Garcia Conte, an activist who writes the Welcome 2 Melrose blog, was arrested last Thursday night outside of the Bronx Documentary Center after he began recording a police encounter. Police from the 40th Precinct stopped Conte and a few other staffers and volunteers from the center for carrying open containers of alcohol. Conte says he was carrying a broken bottle in a plastic bag and a cup. When another person in the group was being questioned by police, Conte started recording with his cell phone, which is when Conte says police threw him up against the side of the building, searched him, cuffed him and then took him to the precinct. He wrote about the experience on his blog. The video is below. A couple of important points: 1) Conte was well within his rights to record the encounter (as it is anyone’s right to photograph or video record police or anyone else when they’re out in public); 2) This is the kind of encounter that has activists and civil rights groups calling on officials to curb stop and frisk tactics. Conte and the other person in his group may have been guilty of an open container violation, but that shouldn’t have led to Conte getting booked. These encounters can escalate quickly, even if the stopped person isn’t doing anything illegal (which he wasn’t). By the way, the other guy in the group, who Conte pointed out is white, was only issued a ticket and not arrested.

The Wanted

Police Looking for Tremont Shooters
Following a non-fatal shooting last Thursday night at 765 E. 175th St. in Tremont, police released video showing two suspects police believe were involved in the shooting. They’re asking for help in identifying and locating the suspects.

Anyone with information in regards to this shooting is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

The Missing

52nd Precinct Crime Statistics Through March 10, 2013

Find statistics for all every Bronx precinct here: 40th, 41st, 42nd , 43rd, 44th, 45th, 46th, 47th, 48th, 49th, 50th.