A dashing Mercedes Benz driver died Friday after colliding with a private rubbish hauler going in reverse through a Brooklyn intersection, consistent with police.
The collision is the most recent black mark on New York City’s private carting trade, which has been accused in the previous of working roughshod over the 5 boroughs as they pass from pick out up to pick out up.
The 54-year-old driver for Cogent Waste Solutions was once allegedly reversing his 2018 Mack truck previous the nook of Gerritsen and Florence Aves. in Gerritsen Beach about 12:30 a.m. when the Mercedes slammed into the massive rig, police officers stated.
The 42-year-old Mercedes driver, recognized via family as Patrick Donovan, was once rushed to Brookdale Medical Center, however he didn’t live to tell the tale.
“He was a good brother, he was great father,” Donovan’s brother Michael stated Friday as he and his family lit candles and positioned plant life on the scene of the crash.
Donovan, a gadget operator, had grown up in the tightly-knit Gerritsen Beach neighborhood. He had simply moved again to the group when the deadly crash passed off, his brother stated.
His loss of life left a gaping hollow in his prolonged circle of relatives, which incorporated his oldsters, 17-year-old son, 3 sisters, two brothers and quite a lot of nieces and nephews.
“It hurts,” his brother Michael stated. “This happened too soon. It’s still so surreal.”
Donovan’s 17-year-old son was once additionally on the crash website, however too grief troubled to speak Friday.
Relatives remembered him as a pleasant, beneficiant guy who would “give the shirt off his back.”
“He enjoyed anything with a motor, really. He loved life,” the grieving brother stated. “He liked everyone around him, [for his] family to be together.”
The Mercedes Benz was once touring at a top fee of velocity when it collided with the rubbish truck, assets with wisdom of the case stated.
The private carter remained on the scene and was once no longer in an instant dealing with any fees, police officers stated. An investigation into the crash was once proceeding.
Ara Chekmayan, a spokesman for Cogent, stated that more than one witnesses informed him that the Mercedes Benz was once dashing prior to slamming into the rear of the rubbish truck.
“We are saddened via this tragic lack of lifestyles. We are absolutely cooperating with the investigation, Chekmayan stated.
Private haulers are anticipated to be given a brand new “zone system” run via town which restricted the realm in which private firms can pick out up trash in order to tamp down on crashes and vehicular fatalities.
The town council licensed the brand new program in 2019 after private rubbish truck drivers sparked a collection of deadly crashes whilst riding lengthy routes around the town. In an effort to spice up earnings, many trash haulers assign crews to routes that in some circumstances took greater than 12 hours to finish and the navigation of lengthy stretches.
The new program will split the city up into 20 zones. The Sanitation Department will make a choice as much as 3 firms according to zone that may every have unique rights to gather industrial trash from companies.
The zones will have to be put in position via tne finish of this yr, town officers stated.