A 60-year-old male pedestrian who was a beloved Norwood-based football coach, Dwight Downer, has died following a motor vehicle accident involving six vehicles in the East Bronx, according to the NYPD. Downer was a volunteer coach at Bedford Park’s DeWitt Clinton High School and also coached the Bronx Buccaneers, who train in the Williamsbridge Oval, in Norwood.

 

Police said that on Saturday, Nov. 30, at around 00.07 a.m., officers from the 47th Precinct responded to a 911 call regarding a pedestrian who had been struck at the intersection of Givan Avenue and Eastchester Road in the East Bronx south of Edenwald.

 

A police spokesperson said, “Further investigation by the NYPD Highway District Collision Investigation Squad determined that a 2013 BMW 328 XI, operated by a 24-year-old male was traveling eastbound on Eastchester Road, when he struck an unknown pick-up truck that was traveling northbound on Givan Avenue.”

The spokesperson continued, “After the initial impact, the BMW collided with a parked and unattended 2020 Acura MDX, a 2007 Nissan Murano, and a 60-year-old male pedestrian who was standing alongside the Nissan. After striking the pedestrian, the BMW collided with a parked and unattended 2014 Honda Accord and a 2007 Toyota Camry.”

 

Police said EMS responded to the scene and transported the pedestrian to NYC Health and Hospitals/Jacobi where he was pronounced deceased. They said the driver of the BMW remained at the scene and was later also transported by EMS to NYC Health and Hospitals/Jacobi for minor injuries.

 

Police said there are no arrests, and the investigation remains ongoing by the NYPD Highway District Collision Investigation Squad. The deceased has been identified as Dwight Downer of Eastchester Road in the East Bronx.

 

With collision investigations, the NYPD handles all criminal aspects of the investigations, while NYC Department of Transportation (DOT)  reviews the street design at the locations of such crashes.

The president of the NYC Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association (COBA)’s executive board later extended his condolences to the Downer family on social media. He said Downer was a retired NYC Department of Corrections officer, who had served the agency “admirably” for nearly 30 years. “He was also a beloved football coach at [DeWitt] Clinton High School and was admired by his players, who considered him a mentor,” the COBA president wrote. “We all mourn this tragic loss to both our COBA family and to his community.”

 

Tasha Andrews, a member of Bronx Community Board 7 and organizer of the Bronx Buccaneers, similarly paid a touching tribute to her late friend. More to follow.

 

The team, which accepts players aged 6 to 14 usually meets to train in the Williamsbridge Oval, located at 3225 Reservoir Oval East in Norwood. “Understanding there is more to football, the Buccaneers strive to develop the students/athletes, and the hope is that the players will use the program not only as a stepping stone to advance to upper level sports in high school and college, but also as a means to engage in positive behavior and as a healthy distraction from idleness,” Andrews previously said, adding that idleness can lead to poor decisions.