Car Plunges Off Maj. Deegan Expressway Into Mill Pond Park

Lucky Day. A mangled car being removed from Mill Pond Park after it jumped the guardrail of the Major Deegan Expressway and landed below. Miraculously no one died. (Photo: Gary Miller) Click on image to enlarge.

Bronx

By Geoffrey Croft

A car lost control on the Maj. Deegan Expressway early yesterday morning and plunged 50 feet into a park, narrowly missing landing on a tennis building, A Walk In The Park has learned.

The driver and passengers miraculously survived.

(Photos: Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates)

At approximately 6:40am a black Toyota Hybrid was traveling southbound on the Deegan when it lost control and went over the guardrail and landed in Mill Pond Park along the Harlem River not far from Yankee Stadium.

The car landed at the park's entrance on Exterior Street at 155th Street a few feet from the Tennis House, the historic 25800-square-foot Power House building that was converted into the tennis facility as part of the $ 64 million renovation and building of Mill Pond Park.

Multiple emergency responders arrived at the scene including FDNY, EMS, ESU, and highway police.

No one had to be extricated from the wreckage and only one of the passengers was brought to the hospital. The victim was brought conscious to Lincoln Hospital in stable condition according to an FDNY official.

On the way down the car hit a lampost mounted on the side of the Major Deegan. It landed in a landscaped area near the entrance of the park.

Shattered windshield glass litters a park path after the accident.

Two Private Bronx Beaches Close Due To High Bacteria Levels

Bronx

Two Bronx beaches have been shut down over bacteria contamination fears, according to city officials, according to DNAinfo.

The Danish American Beach Club, and the West Fordham Street Association private beaches share waterways near the public Orchard Beach, and have soaring bacteria counts in a measure taken Friday, according to the city Department of Health's website.

The Environmental Protection Agency's health limit for bacteria count on a single day is 104 particles in a 100 milliliter sample — and, according to the city's figures, the Danish American Beach Club on Eastchester Bay had 126 in a sample, and West Fordham Street had 282 particles in a sample that was posted Saturday.

West Fordham Street, on City Island, is just a stone's throw from Orchard Beach, and the two share Pelham Bay.

Both of the private beaches were closed Saturday.

"Its because of elevated bacteria levels," said Chanel Caraway, a Health Department spokeswoman, who said testing was typically done once per week.

According to Friday's testing, Orchard Beach, had a particle count of 89.

Comparatively, Coney Island Beach's particle count was 12, Rockaway Beach was 5, and the Bronx's on Friday. Caraway said Orchard Beach would not be re-tested Saturday.

"At Orchard Beach, the bacteria levels were fine," she said. The closed beaches would be re-tested next week, she confirmed.

No other New York City beaches were closed Saturday.

High Bacteria Levels Shut Down Two Bronx Beaches

DNAinfo- August 4, 2012- By Jess Wisloski

McCarren Park Pool Closes Due To Unsanitary Conditions

Brooklyn

McCarren Park Pool was shut down on Saturday due to unsanitary conditions according to gothamist.

The pool was cleared out around 1:00 p.m.

A parks worker said the pool would reopen Sunday according to DNAinfo. The worker would not say why the pool had closed for the day.

Officials from the Department of Parks and Recreation did not immediately return calls Saturday afternoon.

The pool has been shut down several times since its June 28 opening, following a $50 million renovation after years of laying fallow.

Trouble for the massive public pool started the day after it opened, when a brawl among teenagers sent swimmers home early. The NYPD and Parks Department beefed up security after the fights, and in the wake of rampant bike thefts around the pool's perimeter.

Saturday Surprise! McCarren Park Pool Closed Due To Unsanitary Conditions

gothamist - August 4, 2012 - By Ben Yakes

McCarren Pool Abruptly Closes

DNAinfo - August 4, 2012 - By Jess Wisloski

Reward For Killer Of 14-year-Old Kemar Brooks In Haffen Park Increased To $ 22,000

Bronx

Officials increased the reward Thursday for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer of a Bronx teenager, according to NY1.

Kemar Brooks, a 14-year-old tennis player, was shot and killed while inside Haffen Park in Baychester last week.

His body was discovered by his father last Friday.

The total reward was increased to $22,000, with $10,000 each from the Mayor's Office and NYPD, as well as $2,000 from Crime Stoppers.

Read/View More:

Authorities Increase Reward Money For Two Recent Shootings

NY1 News - August 2, 2012

14-Year-Old Boy Gunned Down In Bronx Park After Playing Tennis

A Walk In The Park - July 27, 2012 - By Geoffrey Croft

Bronx Shooting of 14-Year-Old Kemar Brooks Is Part Of Citywide Surge In Park Violence

Candles and a poster are placed at a vigil at Haffen Park for 14-year-old Kemar Brooks who was murdered in the park last Thursday evening. (Photo: Corinne Lestch)

Bronx

Keble Frazer took his sons, niece and nephew to Haffen Park in Baychester on Tuesday expecting a pleasant, relaxing day.

Then he saw posters at the entrance offering a $12,000 reward for information on the fatal shooting of 14-year-old Kemar Brooks there, according to the New York Daily News.

“I’m just looking at the signs, and I’m shocked,” said Frazer, 35. “I’m wondering if I should take my kids here. The park is somewhere you’re supposed to be safe.”

In a wave of street violence this summer, park crime is up 24% since 2009, said Geoffrey Croft of NYC Park Advocates. Since July 1, 13 people have been shot in parks citywide, resulting in four deaths and nine injuries; two people were stabbed, one fatally.

“There’s an explosion of park crime this summer, and there are only two park enforcement officers available for patrol for the entire borough,” said Croft. “And that’s for over 7,000 acres of park land.

“When (Kemar) was shot, there was nobody.”

The senseless shooting took the life of a promising student and tennis player last Thursday. His father, Cassell Brooks, found the boy lifeless in Haffen Park, less than a block away from their home. A vigil was held in the park Monday night for Kemar, who was active in his church, Gospel Assembly.

Kemar’s father was thankful for the outpouring of support - more than 200 people showed up.

“I’m coping, but the memories just linger,” Brooks said on Tuesday.

“Replacing this son...it’s just hard to imagine. This son was a good gift from God. One that God only gives once in a lifetime.”

As for the park, “I think I’m going to stay away,” he said.

Neighbors, residents and parkgoers said they were spooked coming to the expansive green haven, which boasts a pool, tennis court, playground and sprinklers. Five days after the shooting, mothers were drying off small children in bathing suits while residents exercised with personal trainers. The lights turn off at 10 p.m., but there is no way to close or gate the perimeters.

“There’s nobody here to actually prevent anyone from coming in here,” said a longtime tennis player, who declined to give his name. “I think that’s asking for too much. This is New York City.”

Investigators are no closer to figuring out who killed Kemar.

A witness saw a man enter the park about 8 p.m. Thursday and fire in the direction of the pool, then leave the park, said Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne, the NYPD’s top spokesman.

Kemar was under a gazebo near the pool, taking cover from the rain, with a man he had been playing tennis with and another man.

It's not clear whether any of the three was a target of the shooting, Browne said.

Read More:

Shooting of 14-year-old Kemar Brooks in Bronx’ Haffen Park is part of citywide

surge in park violence No arrests yet in promising tennis player's killing

New York Daily News - August 1, 2012 - By Corinne Lestch

14-Year-Old Boy Gunned Down In Bronx Park After Playing Tennis

A Walk In The Park - July 27, 2012 - By Geoffrey Croft

Prospect Park Robbery & Assault - 2 Arrested

Brooklyn

The NYPD arrested two males - age 24, and 19, for assaulting and robbing a 25-year-old man in Prospect Park last night, A Walk In The Park has learned.

The incident occurred on West Drive & near 3rd Street just before 11:30.

The victim was struck in the face.

According to the police, the victim sustained non-life threatening injuries and was removed to Methodist Hospital in stable condition.

Sources say there have also been several gun-point robberies in the park recently.

- Geoffrey Croft

Read More:

Armed robbery in Prospect Park

The Brooklyn Paper - August 3, 2012 - By Natalie O’Neill

Central Park Bicyclist Bitten By Off-Leash Dogs

A Central Park bike rider says he was attacked by two vicious dogs who were not on their leashes on Friday morning. In June a duck in Central Park had to be euthanized after a dog attack. (Photo: Anthony Saint James for The New York Daily News)

In March an unleashed dog mauled another dog in Isham Park in the Inwood section of Manhattan, sparking cries from residents for greater enforcement of dog laws by the police.

In October a woman sued the city, the Parks Department and the Central Park Conservancy after colliding with an off-leash dog in Central Park and being seriously injured.

Manhattan

A bicyclist was forced to use his ride as a weapon after two dogs viciously attacked him during his daily trip in Central Park, according to the New York Daily News.

Enzo Ricciardi, 54, was cruising near Central Park West and 86th St. at about 8:30 a.m. Friday when the two dogs, who were off their leashes, sank their teeth into his legs and feet.

“I had to fight these two dogs with my bicycle,” said Ricciardi, who said he does five laps in the park every day.

“They were aggressive.”

The dogs’ owner, Melinda Pillon, eventually came over to help pull the animals away from the injured man.

“She said, ‘My dogs don’t bite,’ ” Ricciardi recalled. “I said, ‘Look at my legs. They don’t bite?’ ”

Cops arrived and cuffed Pillon at the scene, charging her with failure to have proper licenses and vaccination records and for allowing the dogs to off their leashes.

Ricciardi was treated at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Pillon’s dogs were handed over to New York City Animal Care & Control. It was not clear if Pillon was allowed to get them back. Pillon was later released without bail.

She did not return a call for comment on Tuesday.

Ricciardi, who bikes in every day from New Jersey, said the attack left him with a new fear of dogs.

“Yesterday, I saw a dog and went to the other side of the street.”

Read More:

Bicycler in Central Park bitten by dogs

Enzo Ricciardi says he used his bicycle to defend himself against the animals

New York Daily News - July 31, 2012 - By Joe Kemp

Central Park Duck Euthanized After Dog Attack

A Walk In The Park - June 7, 2012

Unleashed Dog Attacked Another In Isham Park - Lack Of Enforcement Questioned

A Walk In The Park - March 14, 2012

Central Park Dog Off Leash Policy Questioned - Suit Filed After Injury

A Walk In The Park - November 22, 2011