Man dead, woman critically injured after 3-car crash in Gravesend
An Audi driving down Ocean Parkway collided with the rear of a Toyota Camry, bearing TLC plates.
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A man is dead and a woman is in critical condition after a three-car crash in Gravesend.
Police say it happened just after midnight on Ocean Parkway and Avenue S. An Audi driving down Ocean Parkway collided with the rear of a Toyota Camry, bearing TLC plates. The Camry spun and collided into the rear of a Toyota RAV4, also bearing TLC plates. Both cars then collided into trees.
EMS took 62-year-old Yaya Dia, the driver of the Camry, to Maimonides Medical Center. He did not survive.
Dia's passenger, a 39-year-old woman, sustained injuries to her neck and back and was listed in critical condition. The 25-year-old driver of the RAV4 sustained minor injuries and was treated on scene.
Images exclusively shared with News 12 show the airbag deployed inside the black Audi as the front was completely caved in. A nearby tree was left with dents and scratches from the impact, as car parts lay around it.
Steps away, the hood of the white Toyota Camry, carrying the driver and passenger, was seen crumpled and crushed. Glass and car debris were spread out onto bike lanes and sidewalks. Neighbors in the area say they are constantly walking around in fear because there are cars often driving recklessly down the street.
"This needs to stop, and I think police should be more present at night because we see a lot of donuts, speeding. And unfortunately, somebody's life got lost last night," said a long-time resident, Abraham.
The concern comes as, according to NYPD crash data, there have been four crashes at the intersection of Ocean Parkway and Avenue S this year.
Police sources say the driver of the Audi ran away from the scene with the license plates of their car.
No arrests have been made.
Earlier Coverage
Street Safety advocates say the deadly collision is the latest in a troubling history of serious crashes along Ocean Parkway.
"My heart sank when I saw the news about this crash," said Amber Adler, of Families for Safe Streets. "It wasn't that long ago that the same area was impacted by another crash."
Advocates point to a growing list of fatalities and serious injuries on Ocean Parkway, including Natasha Saada and her two daughters, killed while crossing the street. Also, a hit-and-run crash last year left an 11-year-old boy critically injured.
They are calling for street redesigns and measures such as the Stop Super Speeders Act - legislation aimed at addressing repeated dangerous drivers.
"The hardest part is just knowing that this is preventable," Adler said. "People are driving recklessly."
Transportation Alternatives spokesperson Alexa Sledge said city leaders already know what changes can reduce traffic deaths.
"We know the changes that will save lives," Sledge said. "Our city DOT has fantastic engineers and traffic experts who can build streets where nobody will be killed. They just need the political will to get it done."
