A driver who ignored a police-stop, who was not being pursued by police, caused a three-vehicle crash that injured at least two vehicle occupants and three pedestrians at a busy intersection in Fordham Manor.

 

The incident was reported at 4:16 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8, at the intersection of East Kingsbridge Road and East Fordham Road in Fordham Manor. The out-of-control vehicle struck three pedestrians on the sidewalk, before flipping over outside of Bryan Park, a triangular park on East Fordham Road.

 

Police spokeswoman, Det. Denise Moroney, said, “Police observed a 2006 Subaru fail to stop at a red light, pulled the motorist over and upon approach, the vehicle fled the location.”

 

Moroney continued, “The 21-year-old male operating the 2006 Subaru (Vehicle #1) hit a 2014 Fiat (Vehicle #2) operated by a 20-year-old female, and a 2016 Honda (Vehicle #3) operated by a 34-year-old male with a 53-year-old female passenger.” At least one handgun was recovered from Vehicle #1, during subsequent arrests.

 

Taxi driver, Juan Rodriguez, of Yonkers was stopped in traffic at Fordham Road when the speeding 2006 Subaru slammed into his car [Vehicle #3]. Seconds later, the Subaru also ploughed into several pedestrians, knocking them to the ground, as the Subaru flipped over on its roof.

 

As Rodriguez waited for his vehicle to be towed, he recalled the incident, saying, “I saw the light was red, but I didn’t understand that the police were following this car [Vehicle #1].”

 

Rodriguez, who said he believes his car has been totaled, following the crash, also recalled seeing several pedestrians lying on the ground and police quickly arresting the young driver and passenger of the 2006 Subaru.

 

Rodriguez confirmed his female passenger was removed from the scene by EMS. A Citizen’s App video showed at least one child was also transported to an area hospital by EMS. The child was seen bleeding from the head. There were no official reports of any deaths following the incident, and FDNY did not immediately respond to our requests for an official update on the conditions of the injured.

 

Citing “police sources,” News 12 reported that seven people were injured in total, including a mother and two children who they identified as pedestrians injured on the street.

 

During a Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) virtual meeting on public safety, held Thursday, Sept. 9, Norwood News asked Police Officer José Cepeda about the incident. He replied, “As far as the accident yesterday…ahh, it wasn’t a pursuit.”

 

Cepeda continued, “The individuals [in the Subaru] actually saw the police and took off. Once they, I believe, got to Fordham (Road) around Tiebout (Avenue), they hit three vehicles, and I believe three pedestrians were struck and the car flipped.”

 

He added, “So, it was actually the public safety officers…they didn’t pursue. They saw the vehicle, and I guess the car noticed that the police saw them and they just tried to get ahead of it and took off, but they [police] weren’t following the vehicle, honestly.”

 

Police arrested Yaser Garcia, 21, and Laura Jimenez, 18, both residents of Newark, New Jersey. Garcia was charged with multiple counts of possession of a weapon, leaving the scene of an accident with injury, reckless endangerment, obstructing governmental administration, criminal possession of a controlled substance, reckless driving and going through a red light.

 

Jimenez was also charged with multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon, as well as possession of a large capacity ammunition feed device, obstructing governmental administration, and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

 

The crash comes on the heels of a hit-and-run crash that killed one woman and seriously injured another at East Fordham Road and Morris Avenue, in Fordham Manor, at 8:42 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 28. Police said Murielle Gousse, 44, died a short time later at St. Barnabas Hospital, following the incident.

 

Detectives at the 46th precinct continue to work to identify the driver involved in that incident who, they said, failed to stop after the crash and reportedly fled eastbound on East Fordham Road.

 

The crash that killed Gousse, and another fatal crash in Brooklyn that occurred the following morning, prompted NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner, Hank Gutman, to issue a statement, as reported, that read in part, “This weekend saw two high-speed fatal crashes on our streets, both of which occurred in school zones, near speed cameras.”

 

As reported, Gutman called on officials to pass S.5602/A.6681, a bill introduced by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81), and supported by Assembly Member Nathalia Fernández (A.D. 80), that would allow cameras in school zones to be active 24-hours a day. The cameras in question are currently only turned on between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., Monday through Friday.

 

A representative for Fernández previously told the Norwood News, “The assemblywoman is incredibly supportive of A6681 and will advocate for its passage in the Assembly.”

In a recent DOT press release, the agency noted that one-third of all fatal crashes in New York City last year took place in school speed-zones during overnight and weekend hours, when cameras were not in use.

 

Police in the 46th precinct also continue to search for another driver who failed to comply with a traffic stop request on Aug. 4, at East Fordham Road and Marion Avenue, also in Fordham Manor. As reported, that driver injured 11 people after he slammed into several vehicles stuck in gridlock traffic.

 

Despite the gridlock, the driver managed to clear a getaway path and escaped a half dozen officers, many with guns drawn. The vehicle was later abandoned and recovered by police. Francisco Padilla, 29, of Mt. Eden, was arrested and charged with various offenses. He remains innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

 

During that same CB7 public safety meeting in early September, Cepeda addressed the issue of vehicles fleeing routine traffic stops, telling residents, “The issue is going on all over the City, honestly. A lot of the time, you try and stop these vehicles… they end up becoming pursuits.” Cepeda continued, “Just to make it safe for everyone, those guys end up getting away.”

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.