Canal pedestrian killed
A dump truck coming off the Manhattan Bridge slammed into a parked long-distance bus and pushed it across the sidewalk and into the front of a bank at Canal St. and Bowery at 8 a.m. Mon., June 23, killing a woman on her way to work and injuring five others including the truck driver.
The notorious intersection was crowded with vehicles and pedestrians at the time of the accident.
Lai Ho, 57, of Bay Ridge, died apparently of a heart attack when she was hit by a sign that was knocked down in the crash as she was going to her job at United Commercial Bank, 77 Bowery.
The truck driver, Alejandro Fallo, 54, told police he lost control of the truck when the brakes failed. He passed a field test for alcohol and was taken to Bellevue Hospital with whiplash injuries. The driver and three passengers of the Fung Wah bus, which was taking on Boston-bound passengers, were also hospitalized. None of the injuries was life threatening.
The bus clipped three vans, including a police van, and toppled a traffic light and a fire hydrant before it crashed into the front of the bank. The truck took down two metal signposts.
The state Department of Transportation cited the trucking company, C.P.Q. Freight Systems of S. Kearny, N.J. on Tuesday for violations that should have kept the truck off the road, the New York Times reported. Three brake hoses were severely deteriorated, a brake air reservoir and a brake chamber were loose, a brake warning device was defective and brake lights were not working, according to the citations that could result in fines of up to $5,000.
City Councilmember Alan Gerson issued a statement saying the accident at the Bowery and Canal St. intersection “once again points to the dangers of the unregulated increase in commercial truck traffic in the area. It is time for us to reengage our efforts with renewed vigor and complete the Canal Area Traffic Study. We need a sensible truck and bus management plan that regulates the flow of commercial vehicles through this densely populated and highly trafficked area.”
Teen killed
Police responded to a report shortly after 2 a.m. Tues., June 24 that a man was shot in front of 205 Eldridge St. near Rivington St. They found the victim, Vincent Cruz, 17, of 40 Rivington St., with a single bullet in the head. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. Police were investigating the shooting but provided no further information.
SUV injures 6
The 60-year-old driver of a 1989 Pathfinder lost control of his car about 12:13 p.m. Fri., June 20 at the corner of Rutgers and Madison Sts., police said. The SUV jumped the curb in front of 45 Rutgers St. in the LaGuardia Houses, destroyed a bench and injured six pedestrians, police said.
Five of the injured were taken to Bellevue Hospital, two in critical condition, police said. Two victims were taken to New York Downtown Hospital in stable condition. Police said there was no criminality involved in the accident. The driver was taken to the hopital for observation but was not injured. Lisa Pagon, 42, a mother of five children, had her legs crushed and Felix Morales, 57, who has a fruit stand nearby, was also seriously injured, according to a Daily News article.
Burglar chased down
Police almost arrested the victim instead of the suspect of a burglary at 200 Chambers St. on Sat., June 21. But in the end, Michael Estrada, 38, was charged with entering at least two apartments in the building across from Borough of Manhattan Community College and taking various items of jewelry.
It started when the super of the residential building discovered a stranger in his apartment around 9 p.m. and chased him to the stairway where the intruder turned and started to choke the super, police said.
The intruder then fled to the street and crossed Chambers St. with the super, dressed in his pajamas and slippers, in pursuit. B.M.C.C. security guards intercepted them and the suspect told them that the super was trying to kill him, police said. The guards held both the super and the suspect for police. A resident in the building came to the scene and identified the super. Police said a bag that the suspect had left in the residential building had jewelry taken from two apartments in 200 Chambers St.
While in the First Precinct lockup, Estrada became violent and refused orders to calm down shortly after 10 p.m., police said. He was subdued by means of a Taser.
Jewelry heist
A man carrying a plastic bag walked into 21 Jewelry at 22 Cortlandt St. at about 1 p.m. Wed., June 18, pulled a black handgun and said, “Put everything in the bag,” police said. The robber fled with the contents of four trays of jewelry valued at $125,000, police said.
Restaurant robbers
The porter of Savore, the restaurant at 200 Spring St., was cleaning the basement after closing on Sat., June 7 when he heard glass breaking at 3:40 a.m. and went up to find two men at a cash register and another man who put a gun to his head and forced him back to the basement, police said. The two men came downstairs after a while and asked the porter where the keys to one of the cash registers were. When the porter told them he did not know, the robbers slapped him twice in the face and the three intruders fled in a blue van east on Spring St., police said.
Robbed in Soho
A Brooklyn woman, 22, was sitting on the stoop in front of 472 Broome St. between Greene and Wooster Sts. at 2:53 a.m. Fri., June 6, when three men approached, took her bag and fled, police said. The victim chased them and grabbed one by the shirt. The robber then pulled a knife and said, “Let me go or I’m going to stab you,” police said. The three suspects fled north on Greene St.
Bank robber
A man walked into the Chase Bank branch at 65 Worth St. at 9:30 a.m. Tues., June 24 and passed a teller a note that said, “This is a bank robbery give me all the money or I’ll shoot somebody. No blow up money.” He fled with about $700, police said.
Martial arts assault
A man waiting for a cab on Sixth Ave. near Spring St. shortly after 11 p.m. Sun., June 22, was attacked by a man with nunchucks – the martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks linked end to end by a short chain or rope, police said. The suspect, described as a 6’2” black man with a goatee, weighing about 190 pounds and wearing a white shirt, said “What are you looking at,” before striking the victim, police said. The victim sustained minor but painful injuries.
Bike thief caught
Police arrested Carl Hollingsworth, 47, at 12:45 a.m. Wed., June 25 for trying to steal two bicycles chained at the corner of Grand St. and West Broadway. Police charged the suspect with larceny, possession of burglar tools and with assaulting the arresting officer.
Mugging arrests
Nester Gumbs, 24, and Carlin Alcide, 24, both of Brooklyn, were arrested and charged with being among four accomplices who choked and snatched jewelry from a woman, 19, around 4:30 a.m. June 7 at Delancey and Essex Sts. The victim spotted Alcide on a train on June 11 and told police who arrested him. Gumbs was arrested on Mon., June 16. Bail for Gumbs was set $10,000 pending a July 23 court appearance and Alcide’s bail was set at $15,000 pending an Aug. 6 appearance, according to the District Attorney’s office. The two other accomplices are still being sought, police said.
— Albert Amateau
