A cop concerned in a police pursuit veered into oncoming visitors on a Manhattan bridge and struck and killed a dust bike rider, lately launched physique digital camera footage of the 2023 crash reveals.
Samuel Williams, 36, was recklessly driving an unregistered dust bike in Manhattan when he entered the College Heights Bridge heading towards the Bronx on Might 28, 2023, in line with police.
That’s when an officer heading within the different course — who was pursuing raging dust bikers within the space — abruptly veers over the double yellow line into Williams’ path, inflicting him to slam into the police cruiser and fly into the air, in line with physique cam video launched by New York Lawyer Normal Letitia James‘ office on Friday.
A screen grab from body-cam video footage from the scene of a motor vehicle collision involving Samuel Williams and an NYPD officer’s automotive on Might 28, 2023, within the Bronx. (New York State Lawyer Normal)
An NYPD spokesperson wouldn’t present any particulars on the incident, citing pending litigation.
Police Benevolent Affiliation President Patrick Hendry mentioned Williams was driving recklessly when police tried to cease him.
“These police officers were doing the job they were sent out to do, trying to stop unregistered mopeds from being driven recklessly on the city’s streets,” Hendry mentioned. “This is a tragic case, but the investigation needs to look at all of the facts and circumstances.”
Lawyer Jamie Santana mentioned that police focused Williams for driving an unlawful automobile on metropolis streets, a violation that merely merited a visitors summons and the seizure of his illicit trip.
As an alternative, the officer risked a lethal maneuver that left Williams with an agonizing and in the end deadly leg damage that claimed his life at St. Barnabas Hospital the next day, the legal professional mentioned.
Williams’ household is suing the NYPD in state courtroom, plus demanding Lawyer Normal James convey legal prices in opposition to the officer, who is just recognized in physique digital camera footage by his final identify, Perez.
“This was not a situation where there was a question of whether the officer’s life was in danger,” Santana mentioned. “[Williams] wasn’t doing 100 mph … He wasn’t suspected of any felony.
“Officer Perez intentionally used his vehicle to cross the double yellow line … thereby causing Mr. Williams to be ejected from his bike and sustain a horrible, horrible injury to his leg.”
The footage launched by James’ workplace exhibits one other NYPD automobile forward of Perez trying an identical blocking maneuver that Williams narrowly prevented.
Perez’s accomplice’s physique digital camera footage was additionally revealed, and exhibits the officer making an attempt to take a swipe at a passing motorcyclist with an asp as he will get out of the cruiser and goes over to Williams.
Williams’ bike is seen on one wheel, thrown in opposition to the bridge wall.
Different footage not launched publicly, however introduced to Santana and the sufferer’s household, exhibits police detaining an injured and handcuffed Williams on the hood of a police automobile as he begs officers to let him relaxation on the roadway, the legal professional mentioned.
“He was there suffering for some time before the ambulance showed up,” the lawyer mentioned. “He was begging for officers to remove him from the hood of the vehicle so he could be placed on the [ground] to hopefully alleviate some of the pain to the horrible injury he sustained to his leg.”
Samuel Williams, who was killed in a crash with police final 12 months, along with his daughter Madison. (Courtesy Jamie Santana)
The one communication Williams’ household says they obtained from the town after his demise was a $3,429.23 invoice despatched by metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander’s workplace to his mom two months after the lethal crash — a declare for fee for damages that Perez’s automobile sustained within the crash, Santana mentioned.
Lander on Saturday blamed an absence of communication with the NYPD for the declare being despatched to the late Williams’ household.
The invoice the town comptroller’s workplace despatched to Samuel Williams’ household for damages an NYPD automobile sustained within the crash that claimed his life. (Courtesy Jamie Santana)
Williams, the daddy of a 7-year-old woman, lived within the Soundview part of the Bronx and labored at a comfort retailer, his sister Sha-Sha Prince mentioned.
He had an in depth relationship along with his solely daughter, who has struggled within the wake of her father’s demise, Prince mentioned.
“They were really close,” Prince mentioned. “It’s really, really hard for her to know her dad is not here … they killed him and left us with no answer as to why or what was the reason,” she mentioned.
Thus far this 12 months, seven New Yorkers have been killed and a minimum of 315 have been injured throughout police chases, the bicycle advocacy group Transportation Alternate options mentioned.
NYPD automotive chases have surged through the Adams administration as police tried to curtail the usage of unlawful dust bikes and ghost automobiles — autos with pretend license plates — NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell defined final 12 months.
“People thinking they can take off on us — those days are over,” he mentioned at a July 6, 2023, press convention.
Whereas the coverage shift has drawn criticism from police watchdogs who say the dangers outweigh the potential upsides, the NYPD insists high-speed chases are generally vital.
“Pursuing any car is inherently dangerous,” Chell mentioned final 12 months. “You’ve got to strike that balance [of] when you’re going to do it, how you’re going to do it … I tell bosses if you don’t think it’s a go, you call it off.”
After receiving staunch criticism about police pursuits, the NYPD switched gears, implementing new insurance policies during which supervisors should approve police pursuits based mostly on quite a lot of elements, together with if the choice to pursue may hurt the general public.
