The following story is an updated version of the one that appears in our latest print edition.

A bee flying inside a moving car is said to be the reason for a single-vehicle accident that occurred on the Grand Concourse in Bedford Park, causing an unidentified driver to slam into a tree and the car to later burst into flames.

 

According to the NYPD, on Saturday, April 30, at approximately 3.37 p.m., police responded to a 911 call regarding a motor vehicle collision on Grand Concourse at Miriam Street in the vicinity of Bedford Park. Upon arrival, officers were informed by a 25-year-old man that he had been driving northbound on the Grand Concourse, when he lost control of his Honda and collided with a tree, causing the vehicle to catch fire.

 

Police added, “A 3-year-old male passenger was removed to Bronx Municipal Hospital Center [Jacobi Medical Center] by private means in stable condition.” A resident at the scene of the incident corroborated the approximate time. Norwood News asked the police if the man had explained how he had lost control of his vehicle and an NYPD official responded, saying, “There was a bee in the car.”

 

About an hour after the crash occurred, the vehicle was still partially located on the street. Residents were standing around observing the damage and taking photographs with cell phones when the driver of the car returned with family members.

 

A woman who identified herself as the aunt of the infant was later asked by Norwood News if she knew why the car had been left partially on the street where it had looked like it might cause another crash. “That’s my issue,” the woman said. “They can pull up your information when they want to give you a ticket, but when your car blows up, ‘Oh okay, let’s just leave it there’.”

The family member went on to explain, “He [the driver] was driving with his son, so he left the car there because the baby was unresponsive and he had to take him to the hospital.” She added, “Thankfully, somebody just driving by did the favor for him.”

 

A resident of the area then asked the family member, “Is he [the baby] okay?” The family member replied, “Ahh, pending response,” to which the resident blurted out, “Oh my God!” The resident, who recorded video of the vehicle as it went up in flames, then told the family member, “Thank God they made it out because that car blew fast.”

 

Norwood News was unsuccessful in our various attempts to speak with the driver.

 

At least one police officer at the 52nd precinct confirmed being aware of the location of the abandoned vehicle when contacted by Norwood News about the incident. However, residents reported that police, a tow truck, and a Department of Sanitation truck did not arrive on the scene to tow the vehicle until later that night.

 

When contacted the following day, the resident, who declined to be identified, was asked by Norwood News if the driver had told her what had happened. She said, “He told me that a bug went into his face, and he went to smack the bug and he hit the tree.” She continued, “He said he was doing about 20 miles-per-hour.”

 

She added, “He said when he first crashed, a lady was driving by and saw him crash, and they [he and the baby] were both passed out for a second, and he got up and got the baby out, and the lady drove him to the hospital… He didn’t even know that the car went on fire.” According to residents, the car reportedly ignited after the two had exited it.

 

During March 2022 alone, there were 1,555 motor vehicle collisions in The Bronx. This compares with 1,432 collisions in Manhattan, 2,817 in Brooklyn, 4,402 in Queens and 448 on Staten Island. Of the 1,555 collisions in The Bronx, 553 were fatal, 353 involved the motorist being injured, two resulted in the motorist being killed, 267 involved a passenger being injured, none involved a passenger being killed, 29 involved a cyclist being injured, none involved a cyclist being killed, 140 involved a pedestrian being injured and one involved a pedestrian being killed.

 

Last year, Norwood News reported how then NYC Department of Transportation commissioner, Hank Gutman, had been calling for the expanded use of cameras in school zones, following two fatal crashes in August 2021, one of which occurred on East Fordham Road and Morris Avenue in the Fordham Manor section of The Bronx.

 

On Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, at approximately 8.42 p.m., police responded to a 911 call regarding two pedestrians who had been struck by a vehicle at the intersection of East Fordham Road and Morris Avenue, located in the 46th precinct.

 

Upon arrival at the scene, police observed a 44-year-old woman and a 53-year-old woman, unconscious and unresponsive with trauma throughout the body. EMS also responded and transported both aided women to St. Barnabas Hospital, where the 44-year-old was pronounced deceased, and the 53-year-old was listed in stable condition.

 

A preliminary investigation determined that an unidentified vehicle was traveling eastbound on East Fordham Road when the driver failed to properly navigate the roadway and struck the 44-year-old woman. The vehicle also collided with some metal items that were on the sidewalk, causing them to injure the 53-year-old woman. The driver did not remain at the scene and the NYPD’s highway collision investigation squad was investigating the incident. The deceased was later identified as Murielle Gousse, 44, of Prospect Avenue in the Bronx.

 

Demoy Adams, 35, of Spencer Avenue in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, was charged in January 2022 in connection with the incident. The charges involved leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, third-degree insurance fraud, criminally negligent homicide, fourth-degree insurance fraud, third degree grand larceny, two charges of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, two counts of second-degree offering a false instrument for filing, third-degree assault, reckless driving, and fifth-degree insurance fraud before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Marsha Michael.

 

According to State records, the relevant bills covering this expansion of the use of cameras, S5602/A6681, are still at committee level. Norwood News contacted local State Assembly Members Nathalia Fernández (A.D. 80) and Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81) at the time, as well as State Sen. Jamaal Bailey (S.D. 36) for comment on the pending bills.

 

A representative for Dinowitz later said the assemblyman is a co-sponsor of the bill and therefore, it is safe to say he is in support of its passage. Meanwhile, a representative for Fernández later said, “The assemblywoman is incredibly supportive of A6681 and will advocate for its passage in the Assembly.”

 

Meanwhile, this year, there have been a number of road-related fatalities in the North Bronx. A 51-year-old woman died from her injuries after she was hit by a car while crossing the street in the Laconia section of the East Bronx following a daylight road collision involving one vehicle on Thursday, April 28, at approximately 12.31 p.m.

 

A 29-year-old man died following a scooter collision in the Belmont section of The Bronx on Thursday, March 24, at approximately 10.32 p.m. A 63-year-old man also died following a road collision in the Wakefield section of The Bronx on Monday March 14, at approximately 10.06 p.m. Police also confirmed a 41-year-old Bronx man died following a car accident in the Kingsbridge area, on Sunday, Jan. 9, at approximately 4.04 a.m.

 

Last year, a horrific road accident in Norwood occurred on Thursday, July 29, as reported. Fire department officials later reported that 14 people were injured, one critically, after two SUVs collided in the vicinity of Woodlawn station on Jerome Avenue, sending one vehicle crashing into an oncoming passenger bus, which plowed into a steel pillar that supports the elevated number 4 train line. We have asked the NYPD if there is any update on the cause of the crash [in terms of why the two vehicles collided] and will update this story upon receipt of feedback.

 

Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) recently announced a $904 million investment in the “Streets Master Plan,” implementing hundreds of “Vision Zero” type projects across the city to create safer pedestrian crossings, new pedestrian traffic islands, as well as raised crosswalks and dedicated turning lanes.

 

 

Norwood News also recently reported on how some mobile car washes are causing a potential hazard to traffic safety. We also highlighted how the use of safety bollards by DOT were seemingly causing issues for drivers.

 

Meanwhile, on Saturday, May 7, at approximately 8.14 p.m., police confirmed they responded to a 911 call regarding a pedestrian who had been struck in the vicinity of East Tremont Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue in Throggs Neck, located in the 45th precinct. Upon arrival, officers observed a 76-year-old man with minor external injuries. EMS responded and transported the aided man to NYC Health and Hospitals/Jacobi, where he was pronounced deceased as a result of internal injuries.

 

A preliminary investigation determined that he had been operating a battery-powered wheelchair and attempting to cross East Tremont Avenue from the east side to the west side when he was struck by a 2005 gray Toyota Sienna driven by a 25-year-old woman. The driver remained at the scene and police said there doesn’t appear to be any criminality at this time. The investigation remains ongoing by the NYPD highway district collision investigation squad. The deceased has been identified as John Dellacava, 72, of Davis Avenue in Throggs Neck.

 

NYPD and DOT are continuing to investigate the April 30 crash in the Bedford Park area. For road collision investigations, NYPD handles all criminal investigations, while NYC DOT reviews the street design at the locations of the crashes. 

 

Though its cause is still under investigation, in response to a separate, recent collision in University Heights, as reported, DOT and the NYPD provided information on how they are addressing road collisions related to speeding. DOT officials said the State legislature recently reached an agreement to extend the speed camera program, under the “24/7 Speed Camera Agreement,” expanding the hours of operation from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., to 24 hours, seven days a week, within a radius of 750 schools zones across the City, employing roughly 2,000 cameras.

 

Referring to the new agreement, Mayor Eric Adams said on May 19, “Make no mistake about it –  this is a major victory for New Yorkers that will save lives and help stem the tide of traffic violence that has taken too many. We are investing a historic $900 million in street safety and redesigning 1,000 intersections across the city – but we cannot do this alone, and my team and I have been working closely with our partners in Albany for months to get this done.” Adams added, “I want to thank Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Senator Gounardes, Assemblymember Glick, and all of my colleagues who helped us take this significant step. I now look forward to working with our partners in the City Council to deliver safer streets and a safer city for New Yorkers.”

 

A 1-year-old baby died on May 26 on Staten Island after being mowed down by a jeep.

 

Síle Moloney contributed to this story.