An elderly woman was killed by an SUV driver as she crossed Canal Street early this morning. According to the NYPD, the woman was walking north on Elizabeth across Canal at around 4 a.m., when the driver of an SUV traveling west on Canal struck her. "I didn't see her, she was very small," the driver, a 64-year-old man, told the Daily News.
A driver who was stopped next to the SUV at the red light told the paper, "We were waiting at the red light. When the light changed he started driving, and he didn't see the lady and he just hit the lady."
An NYPD spokesman said that the identity of the victim hasn't been released, but the Daily News describes her as a woman in her 70s who collects cans. The paper has a photo of her shoes and a step-stool she used when searching for recyclables.
"We saw her every day, every morning. She was so cute," the driver of a delivery van said. "Early in the morning, she tried to get money collecting cans."
The driver has not been issued any summonses or citations.
This is the second time an elderly woman has been killed crossing the street in the area in roughly three weeks. On the afternoon of September 25, 82-year-old Sui Leung was fatally struck in the crosswalk on Elizabeth near Kenmare Street. The driver, who was making a left turn onto Elizabeth, remained at the scene and has not been charged with a crime, despite his apparent failure to yield to Leung.
Last week, Councilmembers Margaret Chin, Rosie Mendez, and Ydanis Rodriguez sent a letter to the NYPD's Chief of Transportation, Thomas Chan, asking that the van's driver be charged. "Ms. Leung unquestionably did nothing wrong in this case. Rather, the van driver failed to yield, ultimately hitting and killing her, and thus accept full legal responsibility for his actions," the letter states.
"If we are really serious about committing the principles of Vision Zero in New York City…we must hold drivers fully accountable when their negligent actions result in pedestrian injuries or deaths."
[UPDATE / 4:23 p.m.] Councilmember Margaret Chin released a statement today with more details of the incident from the NYPD.
The pedestrian was lawfully walking with the signal (“blinking hand”) as she crossed, and was still within the crosswalk when the signal changed and the light turned green for cars, according to the NYPD.
At the moment the light changed, while the pedestrian was still in the crosswalk, the driver of a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee began driving forward and struck the pedestrian, leading to her death moments later, according to the NYPD.
Chin says she again contacted Chief Chan concerning today's fatal crash, and is calling for the driver to be charged.
"This is the third pedestrian death in my district in less than two months," Chin said, referring to Leung's death and the death of 82-year-old Shu Fan Huang in August after being hit by a van driver on South Street.
"And in each case, I have found myself saying the same thing: Why is the right of way not being respected? The truth is that excuses mean nothing when someone is killed as the result of negligence. If a pedestrian is within a crosswalk, they have the right of way. Period."
