Driver in white SUV fatally hits Bay Ridge pedestrian, flees
At 8:56 p.m. on Sept. 11, 2024, a driver in a white SUV hit 74-year-old Segundo Reina-Gaon at Ridge Boulevard and Bay Ridge Avenue in Bay Ridge and fled before he died at NYU Langone-Brooklyn.
What We Know
Segundo Reina-Gaon, 74, was crossing Ridge Boulevard at Bay Ridge Avenue on the night of Sept. 11, 2024, when a northbound driver in a white SUV hit him in the crosswalk, according to police accounts published by local outlets. The city crash record places the collision at 8:56 p.m. and lists one pedestrian killed. Reporters said surveillance video showed Reina-Gaon near the northeast corner and that the driver fled; police reviewed video and sought tips. The official vehicle record lists a northbound 2012 Honda SUV going straight ahead and cites driver inattention or distraction, while the pedestrian record says Reina-Gaon was crossing against the signal.
A driver fled after hitting a man in the crosswalk
Police accounts published after the crash said Segundo Reina-Gaon was crossing Ridge Boulevard at Bay Ridge Avenue, west to east in the crosswalk, when a northbound driver in a white SUV hit him just after 8:55 p.m. Reporters said the driver fled and Reina-Gaon was taken to NYU Langone-Brooklyn, where he was pronounced dead.
The city crash record lists the crash at 8:56 p.m. and records one pedestrian killed and no other injuries. The official vehicle data lists a northbound 2012 Honda SUV going straight ahead and a parked 2020 Dodge SUV with damage.
The crash happened on a Bay Ridge corridor with repeated harm
The fatal crash occurred at Ridge Boulevard and Bay Ridge Avenue in Brooklyn. CrashCountNYC location data for Bay Ridge Avenue records 282 crashes, 137 injuries, 7 serious injuries and 2 deaths from the start of 2022 through June 1, 2026.
The record cites driver inattention; police pursued a hit-and-run investigation
The official vehicle record cites driver inattention or distraction for the moving SUV. The pedestrian record says Reina-Gaon was at the intersection and crossing against the signal.
News reports said police reviewed surveillance footage, used a drone while reconstructing the crash, and asked the public for information. Brooklyn Paper later reported that police had not released additional information about the driver and that a precinct commander said the case was still under investigation.
Neighbors and officials described a familiar danger
A witness who spoke to the Daily News said Reina-Gaon was close to the sidewalk when the driver hit him. “He never had a chance,” the witness said.
Neighbors told ABC7 that reckless driving and crashes were common in the area. State Sen. Andrew Gounardes wrote that he had discussed nearby safety concerns with transportation officials two days before the fatal crash, and Council Member Justin Brannan wrote that a driver in a white SUV took off after the crash.
Bay Ridge residents raised money for Reina-Gaon’s family
Brooklyn Paper reported that a GoFundMe campaign was created for Reina-Gaon’s family and had raised more than $6,000 toward a $15,000 goal by Sept. 24. The campaign note described him as a father of five and grandfather of 20.
Community Board 10 District Manager Josephine Beckmann told Brooklyn Paper that local residents said Reina-Gaon worked locally and had family in Ecuador who were struggling with final arrangements.