December 24, 2021 marks a tragic day for two families as a cyclist and a pedestrian were killed in a traffic accident on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
At around 9:20AM on Christmas Eve, a Baldor food delivery truck driver was picking up his partner on Third Ave and East 61st Street after making a delivery nearby. Before his partner was able to get into the truck fully, the truck driver unexpectedly drove the truck forward into the sidewalk and struck cyclist Taurino Rosendo Morales, 37, and Delfino Eduardo Maceda, 47.
Morales was riding a delivery bike while Maceda was standing on the sidewalk at the time of the incident. Both were rushed to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center where they were pronounced dead. Our hearts go out to their loved ones. We offer our deepest sympathies.
The 66-year-old truck driver remained at the scene, and the investigation is ongoing. According to the New York Daily News, a Baldor representative declined to comment on the incident.
Tragic crashes like this are indicative of a greater problem. Despite the pandemic, more people were killed in traffic collisions on the streets of New York City this year than any other year since 2013. In a statement released by Transportation Alternatives, motor vehicle crashes have killed at least 265 people, including 14 delivery workers, this year so far. Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Danny Harris called for city leaders to take a more active role in prioritizing street safety.
“As another set of families are destroyed forever due to these preventable crashes, we need our leaders to fast-track proven safety measures, especially on known and dangerous corridors like Third Avenue. This includes redesigning streets for safety, implementing NYC 25×25, and reducing our reliance on deadly, oversized trucks that have no place on dense city streets,” said Harris.
At the Law Firm of Block O’Toole & Murphy, we’ve seen firsthand the heartbreak and devastation that victims and their families struggle with after their lives have been upended by a major collision. We’ve represented victims that were catastrophically injured and families of loved ones that tragically died because of another party’s negligence. Our attorneys are here to help. If you or someone you know has been hurt in a serious auto accident, please call 212-736-5300 or fill out our Contact Form for a free legal consultation with an experienced attorney.
Our attorneys are well-versed in laws pertaining to truck collisions and have resolved many cases for clients, including:
- $14,000,000 jury verdict for a motorcyclist who sustained serious injuries after he was struck by a truck. He required over 10 surgeries, including a below-the-knee amputation.
- $6,000,000 for a bus passenger who suffered knee and spinal injuries after the bus he was riding collided with a flatbed truck.
- $5,500,000 for a 43-year-old man who suffered serious spinal injuries after he was sideswiped by a semi-truck.
- $5,000,000 for the family of a pedestrian who was killed by a truck that jumped the sidewalk.
- $4,750,000 settlement for a client who was struck and thrown to the ground by a sanitation truck.
We serve New York and New Jersey. Call 212-736-5300 today speak with a qualified personal injury lawyer.