A speeding driver fatally struck a woman before crashing through a construction site in Downtown Brooklyn on Wednesday morning, witnesses and emergency officials said.
The 40-year-old victim, identified as Tracy Belgrave, was hit while crossing the street by the driver’s 2004 black Ford Expedition before he errantly crashed into and broke scaffolding near a pedestrian walkway just before 9:30 a.m. Witnesses said that the man was speeding down the closed-off roadway before he allegedly struck Belgrave, a city employee at the Department of Education.
“Tracy was beloved by all of her colleagues, and I’m devastated by this tragic loss for the DOE community,” said Schools Chancellor Richarad Carranza. ” I share my deepest condolences with her family, friends and colleagues. We will have grief counselors available to staff for as long as it is needed, and encourage anyone to reach out for assistance at any time.”
The crash sent construction debris flying through the air, nearly striking individuals crossing through the busy commercial area. A fire hydrant was also launched across a pedestrian walkway used by hundreds of people daily.
(Alex Mitchell)
EMS personnel arrived on the scene and were seen administering CPR to Belgrave, who was unconscious. Belgrave was rushed to Brooklyn Hospital where she was pronounced dead, according to the FDNY.
Around the same time, FDNY sources said, the 81-year-old male driver was pinned in his car and had to be extricated by rescue workers in stable condition. He was also transported to Brooklyn Hospital for medical treatment.
The man’s totaled car was filled with garbage bags and other bulky items.
The construction site, which workers say is usually gated off, was open at the time of the collision. Investigators from the Department of Buildings joined police and rescue workers on the scene shortly after the incident.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing, police said.
