Police: Driver Arrested In Hit-And-Run Crash That Killed Single Mother In Brooklyn
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A driver has been arrested in a deadly hit-and-run that killed a single mother of twin boys Tuesday in Brooklyn, police say.
Susan Liebowitz, 55, was arrested Wednesday and charged with leaving the scene of an accident, failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to exercise due care.
Police said the victim, 56-year-old Francine LaBarbara, was struck and killed around 8 a.m. Tuesday while crossing Avenue Y at West Second Street in Gravesend. Investigators said she was in the crosswalk at the time.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams called it a "dangerous intersection."
"Because of this crash, those children no longer have their mother. Francine was merely going about her day, carrying out her normal day when she attempted to cross and navigate this extremely challenging street," he said during a Wednesday morning news conference.
The borough president and New York City Councilman Mark Treyger called for better signage and other Department of Transportation improvements.
"We should put a traffic light at this location," Adams said.
"We should have speed camera enforcement at all school locations across New York City. It's common sense it will save lives, it has saved lives," said Treyger.
Neighbor Anna Salluscio told CBS2's Dick Brennan she was almost hit there a couple months ago.
"Right there in that intersection. I was walking the dog, and this woman just didn't stop, and I tapped her car, and she still went," she said.
Joann Parlagreco said that she requested a traffic light be installed more than a year ago.
"They don't stop at the stop sign, they don't. And if they do, no one knows. You can see right now - no one knows whether to go, they hesitate, who goes, and there's an accident," she said.
Friends said LaBarbara was the mother of twin 16-year-old boys, who are honor students at Regis and Xavier high schools.
"She'll be missed," Scott Rossillo said.
"Wonderful, loving mother, (did) everything for her boys - everything," said Parlagreco. "And she would help anybody."
