Caught on camera: Pedestrian struck by 15-year-old driver in East New York crash
Police say it happened around 9:42 a.m. at Pennsylvania Avenue and Hegeman Avenue.
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A 15-year-old driver plowed through a lamp post and a 71-year-old pedestrian Sunday morning at an East New York intersection.
Video of the crash at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Hegeman Avenue was obtained by News 12. The pedestrian didn't have time to react and appeared to be unresponsive on the sidewalk. The driver ran from the scene seemingly uninjured.
The video shows an NYPD vehicle stop in the intersection after the crash and pursue the suspect on foot. Two other NYPD vehicles then drive through the intersection. An NYPD spokesperson would not say if officers were pursuing the driver before the crash.
Police say EMS transported the victim to a hospital in stable condition and placed the 15-year-old driver in custody.
The NYPD updated its officer pursuit policies in January, making clear what warrants a chase:
“Officer discretion to initiate a vehicle pursuit is now limited to only the most serious and violent crimes (felonies and violent misdemeanors). Pursuits will not be allowed for traffic infractions, violations, or non-violent misdemeanors.”
It's unclear if the crash falls under these guidelines.
Sources say the car driven by the 15-year-old was stolen at 8:30 a.m. Sunday in the 90th Precinct. There was an AirTag in the car and the car's owner located the car based on its location. When the owner saw their car they called 911 and the car fled, then crashed.
The teen driver was charged with grand larceny, leaving the scene of an accident, criminal possession of stolen property, reckless endangerment and obstructing government administration.
Shawn Melville, who lives in the area, called the situation “really wild.”
"It’s like, so sick. It’s not safe. It’s not cool. It’s a lot of people walking around in the community,” he said.
