Transcript: Mayor Adams Visits Scene of Fatal Car Crash and Briefs the Media

March 29, 2025

Mayor Eric Adams: I know this community so well. I served this community as the borough president and part of it as a state senator. This is a very close knit community, a very religious community. And today, we're here to talk about a tragic, tragic accident of a Shakespearean proportion. To see a mother and her two children lost to a vehicle crash. 

This is extremely concerning and painful, not only to the City of New York in general, but specifically to a very close knit community. A mother gone for a simple stroll on a sunny day was struck and killed. As we pray for their families and this entire community, the city mourns this loss. This is still under a preliminary investigation, but here's what we do know. One car crashed into another striking family walking down the street. A mother and two of her children are dead, and a third child is in critical condition. 

I cannot imagine the pain of the family, but I will be visiting the family at the hospital after I leave here. The driver of the striking car had to be extricated by the Fire Department. I want to thank FDNY for their quick response and NYPD personnel for responding as quickly as possible. The investigation is ongoing, so we don't want to jump to any conclusions. 

Again, this was a senseless tragedy, and we're praying for all involved. The driver and passengers that were struck in the other vehicle are injured but appear to be stable at this time. I'm going to now turn it over to the commissioner, Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch: Thank you, Mayor Adams. I'm Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Today I'm joined by our Chief of Department John Chell, FDNY Chief Mike Woods, as well as our Chief of Transportation Olufunmilola Obe, and Deputy Chief Frank Giordano [and] commanding officer of patrol borough, Brooklyn South. This afternoon, a tragic motor vehicle collision on Ocean Parkway in the Midwood section of Brooklyn took the lives of three members of a Brooklyn family and has left a fourth child in critical condition. 

The information I am about to provide is preliminary and subject to change. At approximately 1:04 p.m., a silver 2023 Toyota Camry with TLC plates was traveling westbound on Quentin Road and attempting to make a right turn to go north on Ocean Parkway. As the Camry was entering Ocean Parkway, it was struck near the rear bumper by a blue Audi A3 sedan traveling Northbound on Ocean Parkway. The impact caused the Camry to be pushed aside while the Audi continued forward and struck four pedestrians in the crosswalk, a mother and her three young children, before overturning. 

The mother and two children were pronounced deceased. The third child was transported to Maimonides Medical Center and remains in critical condition. The Audi was operated by [Miriam Yarimi,] 32 years old. She was transported to NYU Langone, Brooklyn, and is in stable condition. At this time, we can confirm that she was driving on a suspended license. The 62-year-old operator of the Toyota Camry was taken to Coney Island Hospital and is also in stable condition. Inside the Camry were four passengers, an adult and three children, who were transported to Kings County Hospital with minor injuries. 

At this point in the investigation, the light sequence at the intersection has not yet been determined. Speed certainly may have been a factor, and investigators are working to determine whether the operator of the Audi may have gone through a red light. A preliminary breath test is being administered to assess for possible intoxication. At this time, our Collision Investigation Squad is working with the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office. I will call it like it is. 

This was a horrific tragedy caused by someone who shouldn't have been on the road. A mother and two young children killed, another child fighting for his life, a family and a neighborhood devastated in an instant. The NYPD sends its condolences to the family of the victims. May their memories be a blessing. We will now take some questions. 

Question: Yes, I wanted to know, can you tell us why the driver of the vehicle had their license suspended? What was their background? Did they have concerning driving behaviors in the past?

John Chell, Chief of Department, Police Department: They had one suspension on their license, and we're going to try to find out what that is. But it's one suspension so far.

Question: For the Camry, how many passengers were inside the Camry?

Chief Chell: Camry [had] five passengers. You got the male driver, mom in the front seat, and three young kids in the back seat. 

Question: Can you describe those injuries for us? 

Chief Chell: [Minor] injuries at this time, nothing life threatening. 

Question: Do we know how fast the driver may have been going? 

Chief Chell: So, obviously the Collision Investigation Squad with the Brooklyn DA's office, we're looking at those kind of factors. Speed, light device, intoxicants, but we're not there yet. They'll be working through that today during the investigation. 

Question: Can you give us the ages and genders of the children involved? 

Chief Chell: We have a female, six, female, eight, a mother, 35, and a four year-old young boy fighting for his life.