Driver Killed Agustina Muniz in Brooklyn Dump Truck Hit-and-Run
City records say a dump truck driver disregarded traffic control while turning left at Kingsland Avenue and Richardson Street; the Daily News reported Luis Gutierrez later surrendered on a manslaughter charge in Agustina Muniz's death.
What We Know
Agustina Muniz, 86, was fatally injured on Aug. 21, 2023, while crossing at Kingsland Avenue and Richardson Street in Brooklyn. City records say the pedestrian was at the intersection and crossing with the signal when a driver in a dump truck made a left turn and disregarded traffic control. Police initially said the driver did not remain at the scene. The Daily News later reported that Luis Gutierrez, 28, turned himself in, had been indicted, and was awaiting arraignment on a manslaughter charge. A family attorney said dashcam video showed the driver running a red light before turning into Muniz.
A left turn at daybreak became a fatal hit-and-run
The city crash record places the fatal collision at 6:41 a.m. on Aug. 21, 2023, at Kingsland Avenue and Richardson Street. It records one pedestrian killed and says she was at the intersection, crossing with the signal, when a driver in a dump truck made a left turn.
Gothamist reported that the driver hit the woman while making a left turn from Richardson Street, that medics took her to NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, and that the driver did not remain at the scene.
The same intersection appeared under different neighborhood labels
The official record places the crash at Kingsland Avenue and Richardson Street in Brooklyn. Gothamist described the area as Williamsburg, while the Daily News described it as Greenpoint, so public accounts used different neighborhood labels for the same intersection.
The victim was later identified as Agustina Muniz
The Daily News identified the pedestrian as Agustina Muniz, 86. The paper reported that she suffered severe body trauma and died after medics rushed her to Woodhull Hospital. A family attorney described her as a beloved grandmother and said her death could have been avoided.
Records and a family attorney pointed to a red-light violation
The city crash record lists traffic control disregarded as the contributing factor, and the vehicle entry also lists driver inattention or distraction. The Daily News reported that a lawyer for Muniz's family said dashcam video showed the driver running a red light before turning into her.
A month later, police said the accused driver surrendered
The Daily News reported that Luis Gutierrez, 28, turned himself in to police, had already been indicted by a grand jury, and was awaiting arraignment on a manslaughter charge. The paper also reported that the family was suing Gutierrez and J Brothers Trucking, described as his employer, because he was driving a company vehicle at the time.