A man riding an electric scooter ran over two pedestrians Saturday evening after he jumped the curb in the bustling tourist area of Herald Square, leaving one hospitalized in critical condition, according to the NYPD.
Police said the crash came around 9:15 p.m. at 34th Street and Sixth Avenue, right outside of Macy’s flagship location. A 51-year-old man was taken to Bellevue Hospital with serious head trauma after the 23-year-old scooter rider rammed him on the sidewalk, police said. A 43-year-old woman was also struck.
The woman and the scooter rider were hospitalized in stable condition, according to police.
This latest crash comes as communities across the city are grappling with the growing number of e-scooters, mopeds and e-bikes on streets across the five boroughs, which are already congested with vehicles. In Jackson Heights earlier this month, residents attended a town hall meeting to raise concerns over electric vehicles operating on the neighborhood’s open streets where car traffic is banned during certain periods of the week. Queens Council member Shekar Krishnan declared the issue a “moped crisis” during the meeting.
Mayor Eric Adams earlier this month tweeted, “illegal and dangerous vehicles, like mopeds and scooters, have been terrorizing our people for far too long.”
Vehicle drivers remain a far greater source of danger than e-scooters for people on city sidewalks. NYPD data shows at least 117 people — including 53 pedestrians — have been killed in car crashes since the start of 2024. Four of those deaths involved an e-scooter or e-bike, the data shows.
Police officials did not identify either of three people involved in Saturday’s crash. An NYPD spokesperson said the agency is investigating the collision and have not pressed charges against the e-scooter rider.
