Police Looking For Driver Of Burgundy SUV In Brooklyn Hit-And-Run
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A woman is in critical condition at a Brooklyn hospital after she was struck by a vehicle in a crosswalk Monday morning.
A 66-year-old woman was crossing the intersection of Belmont and Rockaway avenues in Brownsville around 8:45 a.m. when she was hit by a driver who didn't stop.
"A car just drove by and I heard a boom and a bang right on the corner, and when I looked to the side, I saw a lady on the ground bleeding," local business owner Fabio Pena told CBS2's Nina Kapur.
The victim was taken to Brookdale Hospital, where she remains in critical condition.
Pena says he was shocked to see the driver take off.
"It's bad. It's embarrassing because we have good business here and the neighborhood is better than that," he said.
Residents say that intersection is heavily traveled by cars, buses and trucks. Many say they'd like to see traffic lights installed to prioritize pedestrian safety.
"They need one right here because kids walk back and forth, and the cars don't even look before they drive," Brownsville resident Shaquest Marshall said.
Others say moving forward, they'll be holding their children's hands a little tighter and will be extra cautious when crossing the road.
"You got to be careful because you never know if you're going to get hit," Brownsville resident Meslin Paulino said.
"People, they drive how they want. Some people, they don't think about other people, only about themselves," Brownsville resident Abdoul Seck said.
Police are still searching for the burgundy SUV that fled the scene.
Anyone with any information is asked to call NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website, by Tweeting @NYPDTips or by texting a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.
