NEW YORK, N.Y. — A notoriously dangerous Manhattan intersection has once again proven deadly after two horrific car crashes within 24 hours left two people dead and several others injured. The victims, 55-year-old Kevin Cruickshank, a Manhattan resident and cyclist, and 63-year-old May Kwok of Brooklyn, were both killed on impact in what authorities are calling one of the most tragic sequences of traffic incidents in recent memory.
The first crash occurred during the afternoon hours, when Kevin Cruickshank was cycling through the intersection — an area already flagged multiple times by transportation advocates for poor visibility and reckless driving patterns. According to police reports and eyewitness accounts, a speeding vehicle struck Kevin while he was attempting to cross. Despite the arrival of emergency medical personnel within minutes, Kevin succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Just hours later, a second collision unfolded in the same intersection. This time, May Kwok, a 63-year-old Brooklyn resident, was sitting on a bench nearby when a vehicle involved in a multi-car crash jumped the curb and struck her. She, too, was pronounced dead on-site.
The back-to-back fatalities have ignited fresh outrage among local residents, city officials, and traffic safety activists who have long demanded significant safety improvements at the location. For years, community members have pointed to poor traffic signage, limited pedestrian infrastructure, and aggressive driving as chronic issues in the area.
“This intersection has been a death trap for far too long,” said one local resident at a gathering held the day after the crashes. “How many more people have to die before the city takes meaningful action?”
Kevin Cruickshank, a beloved member of the Manhattan cycling community, was known for his advocacy around safe urban transportation. Friends say he was a careful rider and a strong proponent of bike lane protections and street redesigns. His tragic death has sparked an outpouring of grief, especially among those who rode alongside him in cycling groups and city rides.
May Kwok, described by family as a quiet, generous woman who enjoyed spending time outdoors, had simply been resting on a bench — a place that should have been safe. Her sudden loss has devastated loved ones and left many questioning how such a basic public space could become a place of danger.
The New York Police Department’s Collision Investigation Squad is actively investigating both incidents. Early findings suggest excessive speed may have played a role in at least one of the crashes. Authorities are also reviewing footage from nearby traffic and surveillance cameras to determine exactly how both collisions occurred.
Meanwhile, transportation safety organizations and local elected officials are calling for emergency measures, including:
- The installation of traffic-calming infrastructure like speed bumps, curb extensions, and protective barriers
- A reduction in speed limits
- Increased NYPD traffic enforcement
- And the possibility of redesigning the intersection entirely to better protect pedestrians and cyclists
City Council members from both Manhattan and Brooklyn have vowed to bring the issue to the floor at upcoming meetings. “This is not just about one intersection,” said one councilmember. “This is about a pattern of preventable tragedies happening across our city. We owe it to Kevin and May to act — now.”
As loved ones of Kevin Cruickshank and May Kwok prepare for funerals, vigils are being planned at the intersection where they lost their lives. Cyclists, pedestrians, and community members will gather to mourn, demand accountability, and insist that these losses not be in vain.
In the heart of one of the world’s busiest cities, two lives were taken in mere moments — not by chance, but by long-standing negligence and avoidable danger. Their memory now fuels a call to make New York’s streets safer for all.
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