BY THE VILLAGE SUN | Updated March 10, 5 p.m.: An SUV driver fatally struck a pedestrian crossing Canal Street early Wednesday morning, then callously drove off, police said.
According to police, on March 6, around 4:50 a.m., a man in his 30s was crossing Canal Street near Lafayette Street midblock, walking from north to south. He was in the right lane of eastbound Canal Street, nearing the curb, when he was struck by a dark-colored SUV, throwing him to the ground and causing severe head trauma.
Responding officers found the victim lying in the street, face up, unconscious and unresponsive. EMS medics transported the man to Bellevue Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. He remains unidentified at this time.
The SUV driver did not remain at the scene.
Three days later police announced the arrest of Kevin Wright, 48, of Canarsie, Brooklyn. He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident (that resulted in death) and aggravated operating a motor vehicle without a license in the first degree.
Police ask that anyone with information on either incident call the N.Y.P.D.’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted on the Crime Stoppers Web site, crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on Twitter at @NYPDTips.
Sidewalks on Canal Street need to be widened and roadway needs to be narrowed: more space for pedestrians on the crowded sidewalks and less space for drivers to speed.
I didn’t see any reference to speeding. And widening the sidewalk will just provide more room to hawk stolen and fake merchandise. We need more policing. Canal Street is a nightmare for everyone. And, please, everyone, DO NOT cross in the middle of the block.
So why have sidewalks anyway basically?