The family of a young woman killed by a speeding police car is asking the public’s help in raising $15,000 to send her body back to her native Guatemala for burial.

 

Sofia Gomez Aguilon, 20, of Wallace Avenue, in the Pelham Parkway section of the Bronx, was crossing Pelham Parkway South at Wallace Avenue when an NYPD Highway One patrol unit struck her at 3:26 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 5.

 

Police reported that, at the time of the accident, the police unit was responding, with lights and sirens, to a call for assistance, transmitted by a separate Highway 3 patrol unit on Throgs Neck Bridge.

 

After Gomez Aguilon was struck by the police vehicle, the two patrol officers reportedly rendered aid to her until paramedics arrived. She was later rushed to Jacobi Hospital where she died three days later on Thursday, Oct. 8.

 

On Friday, Oct. 23, some family members of Gomez Aguilon joined local clergy leaders who conducted a prayer vigil at the accident site.

 

Gomez Aguilon’s cousin, Roberto Perez, told several reporters, “The family is hurt [and] very, very sad.” He said he spoke with Gomez Aguilon’s father in Guatemala, adding, “He could not believe that this happened to his daughter.”

 

According to Perez, Gomez Aguilon worked at a bread factory and was coming from work the day of the accident. She got off the train at the Pelham Parkway subway station and as she attempted to cross Pelham Parkway South to go home, she was struck by the police vehicle.

 

Perez added that Gomez Aguilon had been in the United States for just three months at the time of her death and had wanted to study to become a nurse because she liked “helping people.”

 

Gomez Aguilon’s sister, Maria Gomez, added, “She was very happy, very joyful. She loved to go out.”

 

Pastor Jay Gooding, the President of the 49th Precinct Clergy Council, shared details of his own personal tragedy with the gathered attendees at the vigil, recounting how his daughter had passed away six weeks earlier.

 

Gooding said, “We’re all in this together. This could be any one of us. It’s a tragedy.” He added, “We’re praying for even the officers that had the accident.”

 

Gooding would later present a check to the family on behalf of the clergy council for $1,000 to go towards the cost of Gomez Aguilon’s funeral.

 

On Oct. 15, The New York Post reported that the call for assistance by the second patrol unit was because police believed (erroneously) that shots had been fired on the bridge. Norwood News has reached out to the NYPD for details of the call placed by the second patrol unit. We were informed that this would require a Freedom of Information request.

 

At a later date, police provided details of the Throgs Neck incident. There was no firearm involved finally, though one man was placed under arrest, and brought to the 111^th precinct.

 

Joshua Silvers, 23, of Lanett Avenue, Queens, was charged with three counts of reckless endangerment, fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle, and 11 violations of vehicle and traffic law.

 

Following the accident, initial news reports said the patrol car involved in the accident had responded to the call for assistance with their lights and sirens on. In a 24-second video obtained by The New York Post, and posted to numerous websites, the police cruiser is only in view of the camera for a second or two. The video stops just before the impact. No lights or sirens atop the police car can be seen in that video.

 

Meanwhile, family attorney, John Giacobbe, has filed a $20 million notice of claim with the City on behalf of the family; $10 million for wrongful death, and $10 million for the family’s pain and suffering. Speaking on the day of the memorial organized by the victim’s family and clergy, Giacobbe said, “Today’s a day for the family to come to some sort of closure. I mean, they live right here. They have to walk across the same street their sister died on.”

 

In apparent reference to the dash-cam video of the crash obtained by the New York Post, Giacobbe said, “You see it once. It just stays with you. You know, I have nightmares about it; to see someone’s life about to be taken..” Giacobbe attributed the cause of the crash to the NYPD’s “failure to train” officers properly. Norwood News has reached out to the NYPD for comment. We did not receive an immediate response.

 

On Sunday, Oct. 11, New York State Attorney General, Letitia James, announced her office would be conducting an independent investigation into the circumstances of the crash.

 

Meanwhile, Norwood News spoke with “Dwayne,” a young Pelham Parkway resident, who said he was sitting along the parkway when the accident happened. “I was there when she got hit, yes,” he said. “The police didn’t have any sirens on; no lights or nothing. The only thing – he ran the light.”

 

Norwood News cannot independently verify Dwayne’s comments though we have attempted to locate and speak to other potential witnesses.

 

Dwayne also said, in his estimation, the police vehicle was traveling close to 90 mph before the accident occurred. During an NY1 appearance on Wednesday, Oct. 14, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said the officers were traveling at 60 mph. The stretch of road where the accident took place in is a 30 mph zone.

 

Dwayne also said that, after the accident happened, “The police didn’t come to talk to anybody.” He did not specify how long he remained at the location, after the accident. Police normally seek out witnesses following such incidents. Norwood News reached out to the NYPD to ask for clarification on what the procedure is, in terms of interviewing witnesses, when officers are involved in an incident. We did not receive an immediate response.

 

A Go Fund Me page was set-up by Gomez Aguilon’s family on Oct. 15, to raise funds for burial. By Tuesday, Nov. 3, the page had raised $3,515.

 

Anyone wishing to donate can click on the following link.

 

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS.

 

All calls will be kept confidential.