NEW YORK, NY — One pedestrian was killed and three other people were hurt Thursday morning after a truck struck pedestrians in Manhattan’s Chinatown, police said. Investigators said the truck had just exited the Manhattan Bridge when it turned toward Bowery, mounted the curb and hit people on the sidewalk near Canal Street.
Firefighters said they received the call at 10:20 a.m. about the crash at Bowery and Canal streets. The truck then hit a van on Bowery, adding to the damage at the busy Lower Manhattan intersection.
Police say the truck lost control after leaving the Manhattan Bridge
According to police, the truck was traveling westbound on Canal Street after coming off the bridge. As it turned right toward Bowery, it went up onto the curb and struck three pedestrians before rear-ending a van.
Video from the scene showed crime-scene tape blocking part of the roadway. It also showed a large truck carrying pallets of wood, with a smashed windshield and multiple flat tires. Police have not said what caused the driver to lose control, and they said there is no indication so far that the crash was intentional.
Witness Marat Musarov described hearing what sounded like an explosion. He said he looked outside and saw the vehicle moving quickly with no brakes.
Victim identified as Jun Ting, 77, while two women remain stable
Emergency responders took a 77-year-old man to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Family members later identified him as Jun Ting.
The two other pedestrians injured in the crash were women, and both were listed in stable condition. Police also said the 47-year-old driver of the van was hospitalized after the collision.
Jun Ting’s son-in-law, Kin Fai Wong, said his father-in-law was a strong man who supported his family. Wong said his wife, Yong Wong, 52, was among those injured and is dealing with the loss of her father while recovering in the hospital.
Driver taken into custody but no charges have been filed
Police sources said the 66-year-old man driving the truck was initially taken into custody. As of Thursday, no charges had been filed.
Authorities have not said whether impairment, mechanical failure or another factor played a role. The truck was carrying wood pallets, but police have not said whether that load was connected to the crash.
Investigators were still reviewing the circumstances of the collision, and the New York City Department of Transportation said it was examining what happened. In a statement, the agency called the crash horrific and said its thoughts were with the victims’ families and loved ones.
A familiar danger zone at Bowery and Canal
Thursday’s crash again put attention on a stretch of Lower Manhattan that residents and advocates have long described as hazardous for people on foot. The intersection sits near the Manhattan Bridge entrance, where heavy traffic from the bridge meets busy neighborhood streets.
Transportation Alternatives said 10 pedestrians have been killed on Canal Street since 2014, with an average victim age of 75. Charlie Baker, the group’s spokesperson, called Canal Street one of the most dangerous streets in Manhattan and said the delay in redesigning it is costing lives.
Local residents expressed similar frustration, saying drivers often race off the bridge and turn the corridor into what one called a death trap. The group has been pressing for a redesign of the road, along with stronger separation between vehicles and the curb.
Elected officials call for immediate safety changes along the corridor
City Councilman Christopher Marte, who represents the area, said Thursday’s deaths marked the third in just over a year. He said the Department of Transportation has been moving forward with a Canal Street fix, but too slowly and starting at what he called the least fatal end.
State Sen. Stephen Chan said slower traffic on the Manhattan Bridge and physical barriers near the curb could help protect pedestrians. He pointed to rumble strips, speed bumps and steel barriers as possible measures to reduce the risk at the bridge entrance.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal also urged immediate action, saying the city must not wait any longer to move ahead with a Canal Street redesign and safety improvements near the Manhattan Bridge entrance.
City agencies review what happened as families mourn
The crash added another painful episode for families and neighbors in Chinatown, where pedestrians were again caught in a collision that spread from the bridge approach to the sidewalk. The scene was still active hours later as police documented the crash and the damaged truck remained part of the investigation.
For Jun Ting’s family, the focus turned quickly from the collision itself to the loss. Wong said his wife was crying in the hospital as she dealt with her father’s death while recovering from her own injuries.
Police and city transportation officials have said they are reviewing the incident, but no immediate explanation has been given for why the truck mounted the curb. For now, the case remains an active investigation centered on one of Lower Manhattan’s most closely watched traffic corridors.
