DEATH, DEATH AND MORE DEATH IN ONE DAY OF MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS - CARS, BUSES, TRUCKS AND PEDESTRIANS ALL INVOLVED

From: New York attorney Gary E. Rosenberg (personal injury and accident attorney and lawyer; serving Brooklyn Queens Bronx; Brooklyn Injury Attorney)

Tuesday, January 5, 2010 was simply a bad, crappy day in New York City. There are no better words to describe a day in which several people died in various of New York City's neighborhoods.

FIRST: A wanna-be model, Ms. Gypsy Porfirio, age 34, of Brooklyn mowed down a couple jogging on Hyland Boulevard in Staten Island at about 4:40 PM. Ms. Porfirio was allegedly high on a combination of prescription pills and told authorities, "I blacked out at the wheel." Seriously injured were Daniel Kelley, age 23, and Gina Siclari, age 18, both of Staten Island. Mr. Kelley was in extremely critical condition from head trauma and other injuries; he is not expected to live. Ms. Siclari suffered a fractured or broken ankle, and assorted soft tissue injuries. Ms. Porfirio faces a host of criminal charges. Her bail has been set at $150,000.

SECOND: In Manhattan, a bicycle rider died instantly when she hit a pothole on Delancey Street at Ludlow Street, and fell into the path of a school bus. This occurred at around 4:15 PM, near the Williamsburg Bridge. Her name has not been released yet, but no criminal charges are expected. Local activists are blaming, in part, the broken condition of the pavement in and around Delancey Street.

THIRD: At around 7:30 AM, Brooklyn resident Rosemary Platt, age 46, was struck by a forklift in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn and died 30 minutes later in a local hospital. The vehicle was ferrying materials for a New York City Transit Authority subway repair project.

FOURTH: Shortly before 12 noon in Crown Heights, in Brooklyn, Ms. Mary Mason, age 59 - who is reported as being homeless - was hit and killed by an oil delivery truck as she crossed Pacific Street. She was pushing a shopping cart full of bottles and cans to recycle, which may have gotten caught in the truck.