February 14, 2007
4 Year Old Dies After Being Hit By Hummer
A 4 year old boy walking home from day care with his aunt was hit by a Hummer yesterday afternoon at Third Avenue and Baltic Street in Brooklyn. James Jacaricce died at Methodist Hospital; his aunt Ta-Nayin St. John had a shoulder injury. The incident was not a hit-and-run - the driver stayed, gave a Breathalyzer, and was found sober.
Both the driver, Ken Williams, and St. John and Jacaricce had the green light, and Williams hit them when he was turning onto Baltic from Third. However, Williams was driving a Hummer, and a police source told the Daily News, "The guy didn't realize he hit them because the vehicle rides very high." Why anyone needs to be driving such a huge SUV, we have no idea. Williams, who witnesses says was sobbing over the accident, was given a ticket for failing to yield to pedestrians.
The Daily News also notes that an iPod belonging to St. John was also found at the scene: "However, it was unclear if she had been listening to the music player at the time she and her nephew were hit." Kruger, take note: Fine people for driving oversized cars and SUVs before fining iPod usage.
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Isn't it called a 'Hummer'? I thought only the genuinely military ones were called 'Humvee's'.
Regardless,
Boo on Hummer, and Boo on GM for pushing such an excessive, inefficient, and flat out dangerous machine.
It appears to be a Hummer H2 from the overhead picture.
The now-discontinued Hummer H1 was the civilian version of the military Humvee. The H2 is a basically a modified Chevrolet Suburban, not having much if anything in common with the Humvee.
People need to realize that it is turning cars that run over pedestrians and cyclists. The streetscape of New York City makes it difficult to see -- especially if an SUV is parked at the corner.
And lets face it, SUVs are more concerned about being hit by trucks or other SUVs -- a threat to them -- then running over children. They are looking left -- for another vehicle running the light -- not right -- for a pedestrian.
I've taught my kids to look behind them when crossing the street. It is often more dangerous to cross with the light -- thanks to those turning right from behind you -- than against it! Particularly if you are small relative to the vehicle parked at the corner.
Thanks, nitPicker, duly noted. And I agree with the Boos. Why?
I think anyone who buys a Hummer (and perhaps any other car getting 11 mpg or less) should automatically have to serve in Iraq for six months.
very sad
I hope Carl Kruger does not use this as anecdotal evidence for that ridiculous bill to ban ipods in crosswalks
"Kruger, take note: Fine people for driving oversized cars and SUVs before finding iPod usage."
Amen, Jen. Amen.
There's a guy on our block who drives an Escalade. Have you ever seen one of these vehicles close up? They are freaking offensively huge. I don't see a reason to own a car that big especially in NYC. Plus, they have a car alarm on the beast, which goes off constantly. I haven't ever disliked someone I do not know so much. :[
oh the irony of the GM ad above the comments. . .
Nitpicker
That's a Hummer H3 which is 1/2 the size 1/3 the weight of a real Humvee which was sold as Hummer H1.
"They are looking left -- for another vehicle running the light -- not right -- for a pedestrian."
I don't know about *that*. It's true that when you are making a left turn and you have oncoming traffic that wants to go straight, you tend to worry about that oncoming traffic.
(risking a double-post)
"They are looking left -- for another vehicle running the light -- not right -- for a pedestrian."
I don't know about *that*, but it's true that when you are turning left and faced with oncoming traffic that wants to go straight, you tend to worry about that traffic and not peds.
So he was summonsed for failing to yield to pedestrians, and killed someone. That's obviously criminally negligent homicide (at least), right? Right? Helloooo, Mr. or Ms. DA -- right?
When is this city going to reclaim sidewalks for pedestrians and get serious about punishing selfish drivers who insist on turning left and ploughing over pedestrians?
This guy killed a kid because he was too selfish to stop. And driving a Hummer in NYC. I mean that says it all...
How is it that a driver can KILL someone by failing to yield, and be let off with a TICKET? It's outrageous.
Big cars should pay a tax to be in the City.
I remember seeing an escalade in Hell's kitchen 10th ave driven by a tiny woman. She was trying to park it and was getting cues from two guys outside the car. What I noticed on this giant car were some scratches on the driver side door.
Great points, WT and g.
I've also noticed an alarming amount of drivers making rights on reds lately. Most, obviously, from out of town, where it is legal to do so, but something should be done to tell them they're not in the 'burbs anymore.
Personally, I think that if you take a life with your car and are found at fault I think the following should happen:
* Your forfeit your car.
* You are automatically charged with involuntary manslaughter
* Your license is suspended for 5 years with allowances only for getting to and from work.
Too harsh? No way. Driving is serious business and I gotta tell you, not very many people are taking things seriously.
I heard one time that the line between chaos and society is the line between people always thinking about the threat that the world poses them and the people who have concern about the threat they pose to the world. Brooklyn drivers are 80% the former and it is frightening.
Didn't you hear, Tim N? NYC are the new Burbs.
Absolutely, Robb. I couldn't agree more.
Absolutely, Robb. I couldn't agree more.
This article should be about a 4 year old dying. Instead, it's about SUVs and how some new yorkers can't resist the urge to whine about them. Maybe you people should get your heads checked.
samiam: way to oversimplify. People are whining about SUVs BECAUSE they seem to be responsible for so many pedestrian/cyclist deaths.
samiam: way to oversimplify. People are whining about SUVs because more often than not, THEY are the ones running down and killing pedestrians and cyclists.
(hopefully this isn't a double post)
Two double posts in this thread already. Looks like the Gothamist comments system is as working as well as always, with posts not showing up for up to 15 minutes in pb's case. But error logs are for geeks, right? Street art rulz!
yes, taking left turns with oncoming traffic is a serious problem. looking at oncoming cars rather than peds and CYCLISTS (who happen to be oncoming too) leads to many accidents, close calls, and jangled nerves.
i have a really brilliant suggestion: how about drivers showing little patience and waiting until there are no threats anywhere!!! oh, sorry maybe, just maybe, you will be an hour and half late to wherever as opposed to only an hour and 25 mins! sheesh!
Oldsk: I know it's futile, but I'm fighting that fact you mention as best I can.
And Brightliner is dead right. Unless you're hauling personnel or materiel through Fallujah, you drive a car like that for ego gratification only. And if your ego gratification is killing others, especially those weaker and/or poorer than you, it's time to find another outlet. Hookers, maybe, or internet porn.
Or maybe just buy a damn fine overcoat... AND WALK.
Or maybe people oughta be a little more careful before jaywalking.
Oh snap, I went there.
Gwin:
Take a look at the comments on this thread. Most of them just bitch about how "offensive" SUVs are.
Do you really think that the SUV is the problem here? In this situation, if a camry or a taurus had hit the child, don't you think that the difference in his odds for survival would be negligible?
On a different note, I have a hard time believing that the driver is not going to face subsequent consequences. Having the green light does not mean that he can drive through a crosswalk with people in it...right?
I see huge SUVs struggling to pull in and out of city gas stations and parking lots that are too small for them to fit comfortably. It takes them 5 minutes to maneuver around each other to leave the gas pump. Maybe it's their "right" to drive these things but why in the city where everything is so cramped? Wouldn't a smaller minivan or regular sedan just make more SENSE? SUVs are for hauling things and driving in the country or the woods.
See what I mean?
The Edge: Maybe next time before you "go there" you should read the article. They weren't jaywalking.