Driver Arrested In Fatal Crown Heights Crash: Police

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — A motorist who was behind the wheel in a fatal crash that killed a Crown Heights pedestrian has been arrested, police said.

Brownsville resident Jefferson Springer, 26, faces multiple criminal charges, including criminally negligent homicide, following the Sunday crash, authorities said.

The crash unfolded about 6:30 p.m., when police claim that Springer struck and killed Walter Gonzalez, 56, at Schenectady Avenue and Eastern Parkway, just two blocks from Gonzalez's home.

Detectives with the NYPD Highway District's Collision Investigation Squad believe that Springer drove a 2017 blue Chevy Silverado in the median on Eastern Parkway heading west, police said. He struck Gonzalez, who was standing in the median, authorities sasid.

Police said that first responders declared Gonzalez dead at the scene.

The Daily News shows that the pickup truck had extensive front-end damage, and says that Gonzalez's wife appeared at the scene after the accident, distraught as a friend attempted to console her.

The Daily News also reported that witnesses said the intersection was a common panhandling spot for Gonzalez.

The Daily News also pointed out that the intersection was the scene of another pedestrian death earlier this year, when an NYPD van struck and killed another man, Ronald Smith, 35, who was dragged about 35 feet by the police vehicle on April 7.

Just a block away, another person was killed Friday when police said a man riding a scooter hit an unoccupied double-parked truck.

Police requested charges against Springer of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, reckless driving, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, failure to obey a traffic device and speeding, authorities said.