In a tragic incident in Brooklyn, a hit-and-run collision involving an MTA bus resulted in the death of a man and left the driver of the vehicle fleeing the scene. The incident occurred at the intersection of Harrison Avenue and Lorimer Street in Williamsburg, where Alex Caba-Gutierrez, 33, lost his life after being ejected from a car during the collision.
On February 27th, Alex Caba-Gutierrez was discovered with severe injuries by first responders around 9:45 p.m. and was swiftly transported to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, where he was later pronounced dead. The collision involved a Mercedes-Benz sedan, which ran a red light while traveling south on Harrison Avenue and collided with the MTA bus, leading to Caba-Gutierrez's ejection from the vehicle.
According to the Gothamist, the driver of the Mercedes, along with another passenger, fled the scene immediately following the crash, leaving behind the aftermath of the tragedy. Fortunately, the 31-year-old bus driver and one of the three passengers on the bus during the incident sustained injuries but were in stable condition after being taken to nearby hospitals.
The unfortunate event has sparked an ongoing investigation by authorities who are actively searching for the driver of the Mercedes sedan. Despite the efforts to uncover the details surrounding the crash, questions still linger regarding the cause of the collision.
Notably, this incident adds to the concerning statistics of road-related fatalities in Williamsburg, where the neighborhood had witnessed five crash-related deaths in the previous year alone, according to data from NYC Crash Mapper. Among these fatalities were cyclists and pedestrians, highlighting the pressing need for enhanced road safety measures.
Furthermore, the loss of Caba-Gutierrez marks the first crash-related death in Williamsburg for the current year, underscoring the significance of addressing road safety concerns within the community.