Hit-And-Run Driver Who Killed Brooklyn Teacher Arrested: DA

BROOKLYN, NY — A Bushwick man who fatally hit a local teacher in his Rolls Royce last year is facing homicide charges for the crash, according to prosecutors.

Tariq Witherspoon, 30, was charged this week with criminally-negligent homicide for the May 2021 crash, which killed Greenpoint teacher Matthew Jensen, prosecutors said.

“Matthew Jensen was a beloved teacher at P.S.110 who is sorely missed by his students, co-workers, friends and family," Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Tuesday. "We will now seek to bring this defendant to justice for his alleged actions, which left a community heartbroken.”

The charges against Witherspoon come nearly a year after the McGuiness Boulevard hit-and-run, which prompted former Mayor Bill de Blasio to announce a $39-million redesign of the notoriously dangerous corridor.

Witherspoon hit Jensen with his Rolls Royce around 12:45 a.m. on May 18 as the teacher was crossing McGuiness Boulevard near Bayard Street, according to officials. He then drove away, according to prosecutors.

He is also charged with leaving the scene of an accident, reckless driving, excessive speed and second-degree reckless endangerment for the crash, the DA said.

Witherspoon will be held on bail of $75,000 bond or $15,000 cash and was ordered to return to court in April.

The redesign of McGuiness Boulevard, which is still in its planning stages, was announced over the summer after the fatal crash. At the time, de Blasio said the city would put immediate upgrades in place, like adding missing crosswalks, and investigate longer-term plans for the future.

The full redesign is expected to be done this year.