Police said they have arrested a 27-year-old man in connection with a multiple vehicle, hit and run, road incident in the East Bronx in which pedestrian and beloved volunteer Bronx football coach, Dwight “Coach D” Downer, was killed late last year.

 

As reported, Downer, a football coach for Bedford Park’s DeWitt Clinton High School and Norwood-based Bronx Buccaneers, the latter who train in the Williamsbridge Oval, died following a six vehicle collision in the East Bronx, according to the NYPD.

 

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.

 

They said there were no initial arrests, and the investigation remained ongoing by the NYPD Highway District Collision Investigation Squad. The deceased was later identified as Downer of Eastchester Road in the East Bronx.

 

On Thursday, March 13, police said that, pursuant to an ongoing investigation, Orville Berry of Yonkers was arrested the same day at 1.50 p.m. within the confines of the 47th Precinct. They said he was charged with leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death and with third-degree aggravated, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

 

Tasha Harris, Downer’s partner, gave her reaction to the news on Thursday, writing in part, “I am grateful that those involved will be bought to face the deviation and loss that we all must face and live with. Thank you to all of the law enforcement members who have worked to make this happen.”

 

Berry is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

 

As reported, an outpouring of tributes from various players and affiliates of the football teams followed news of Coach D’s passing. Family, friends, colleagues, and players, young and old, who were trained by the 60-year-old volunteer coach, later gathered in the Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood on Friday, Dec. 5, 2024, to pay tribute to him.

 

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.