Monday, July 24, 2017

[Updated] RIP Neftaly Ramirez

The cyclist who was fatally struck by a garbage truck early Saturday morning in Greenpoint has been identified as Neftaly Ramirez, 27, who lived in East Village, according to published reports.

Ramirez was biking home following his shift at Paulie Gee's, the pizzeria on Greenpoint Avenue.

About the collision, per DNAinfo:

Ramirez was riding on Franklin Street about 12:30 a.m. when the garbage truck driver, heading south on Franklin, turned right on Noble, fatally struck Ramirez, and kept driving, NYPD officials said.

The truck was green and had white and yellow writing on it, police said. Investigators were still trying to find the driver Monday morning, police said.

Authorities said they believe the truck belongs to a private company.

The Daily News talked with several people who knew Ramirez.

“He was such a nice, quiet guy,” said tearful neighbor Emily Yambo, 43.

“He was a good, hard-working person,” the pal said, adding he was loved animals and video games. “They need to find the person that hit him.”


Updated:

Gothamist talked with Paulie Gee proprietor Paul Giannone about Ramirez:

"He washed dishes for a while and he was engaged to be married and he was very excited about that, and he wanted the opportunity to make more money," Giannone said. "And I just recently had the opportunity to promote him to a bar back, and he was very excited about that. And the staff was very supportive about him, and helped him."

Updated 7/31

The truck that struck and killed Ramirez reportedly belongs to New Jersey-based Action Carting.

Per DNAInfo:

Action Carting, the city's largest private garbage company which has been lugging waste since 1999 and picks up garbage from more than 16,400 private restaurants, offices and companies across the city, has settled a handful of cases in which its drivers have struck and injured people.

Updated 8/11

The NYPD declined to charge the garbage truck driver who struck and killed Ramirez, per Gothamist.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

so sad. This is why I have retired myself from cycling in the city. To me, life is too precious and not worth the risk of death due to inattentive drivers.

Anonymous said...

RIP Neftaly and condolences to his family and friends. This is so awful.

In related sadness, does anyone know the status of Eddie, a Tompkins Square regular who was in a bike accident on Canal & Bowery a few weeks ago? I feel like there are people we see every day in the neighborhood that we don't necessarily know well, but who are still a part of our lives and we care about them.

Gojira said...

Aw. so sorry. RIP, sir, while I did not know you I sorrow for your loss.

Giovanni said...

Such a terrible tragedy. The garbage trucks and dump trucks drive like maniacs. Those Express busses are deadly too. Did the family of the young woman who was killed by a dump truck at Union Square ever get any justice? Or the woman who was run over outside The Bean? Vision Zero is a failure, we need stricter laws.

Anonymous said...

And a trash truck driver yet again. Whenever I'm out late at night or early in the morning walking my dog, I'm horrified to see how many of them drive. Routinely run red lights, and at speed, make aggressive turns, even go wrong way up streets. A fried who drives to work around 4.30am in the morning told me he often stops at green lights to make sure there isn't a trash truck driver barreling at him through a red.

RIP, young man. I'm so sorry your life was cut short and in such a senseless, brutal way. I hope the driver is apprehended, but doubt they'll get more than a slap on the wrist, looking at other incidents of such nature. We really need more enforcement on these often maniacal (usually private) trash truck drivers, and also their bosses, who create horrible and hazardous working conditions for them. That entire industry is a horror show. I really hope the city moves quickly to reform commercial trash pickups (creating contracts by zones), so it's not a free for all anymore where you can have 5 different companies driving down the same block to pick up from different businesses, as it is currently.

Anonymous said...

Another death that will be in vain. The police department wishes for cyclists dead and off the street. Read Laure Davis' sister account:
https://medium.com/@danielle.k.davis8/how-the-nypd-the-dot-and-the-justice-system-have-failed-my-sister-part-one-b54b355d6faf

Anonymous said...

This is awful and tragic Absolutely horrible. Life is just so short and unfair sometimes, isn't?

Cycling in the city has become a dangerous feat. I've considered owing a bike, but the more I hear of stories such as this and others, I back out due to the sheer danger and recklessness of so many who just don't seem to give a shit. That poor young man. Too young to go. And at the hands of a careless driver who left him there? Inhumane. I hope the POS driver of this truck is apprehended and charged with involuntary manslaughter at the very least. The deceased man sounded like such a beautiful soul too, which makes this a tremendous loss for all who knew him. Gone too soon.

My thoughts and condolences go to his friends and family. RIP, young man.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely tragic. The city streets just aren't safe for cyclists and never will be. There is so much denial about the degree of risk in cycling these streets. Just this weekend, I saw a cyclist get knocked off her bike by a cab on Ludlow. She was Ok, fortunately, but this young man wasn't as lucky.

While so many people will get worked up into a froth about punishing the driver, secret agendas and so many other distractions, you are never going to get away from the simple fact that accidents do happen and people (both in cars and on bikes) make stupid moves sometimes. When a bike and car collide, the cyclist might well die. There is no getting around that. So long as the road must be shared, cyclists will die.

If you are going to cycle, you've got to understand that the risk you are taking is akin to that of riding a motorcycle anywhere else. That is, if you make a mistake, you may be maimed or killed. If you don't make a mistake, you might still be maimed or killed. Which is why I think it is disgusting and irresponsible that even children can use a Citibike.

Anonymous said...

What a sweet and lovely young man. I am overcome with sadness. So many lives lost on our streets. And no accountability. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and girlfriend. SO horrible. So horrific.

Anonymous said...

A female cyclist was hit by a car on the corner of 13th and Avenue A late yesterday afternoon in front of Percy's Tavern. Her back rear wheel rim was bent in half, but she was standing. The cops and EMS were there. I hope she is okay.

I haven't cycled in the city for years. I love to bike, but I don't think the risk is worth it.

Anonymous said...

Bike deaths can be stopped by Street design and police work. NYPD works systematically against people who use bicycles in our city. The police department works against the people it is serving. They harass, intimidate and give fines to victims of every day aggressive drivers. They block bike lanes and cross walks systematically.
See here:
http://nyc.streetsblog.org/2017/07/24/nypd-defends-perp-and-tickets-cyclists-after-garbage-truck-driver-kills-neftaly-ramirez-and-flees-scene/

Anonymous said...

The quality of drivers ha gone down. People no longer view driving seriously. Is this the fault of the state, which administers the exams for a license? Or the car manufacturers, which load up the cars with distractions and safety features that in no way benefit pedestrians or cyclists. And we have not even discussed drinking. It is so easy to get in a car when drunk. There are absolutely no barriers.

As for commercial trash trucks and buses, they are in a category of their own. You ride at your own risk around them, and it is best to stay clear of them.

sophocles said...

It should not be hard to find the driver. They could station some detectives near the intersection after midnight for a few nights. The company still has to pick up the garbage. Is it possible to hit and kill a cyclist and not realize it? Surely afterwards you would have heard about the incident...

Anonymous said...

RIP.
Speaking of police, I saw a speeding NYC cop van driving the wrong way south on 1st Ave. Saturday with its siren blaring and then turn west on to 5th St. This was not the first time I've seen this.

Anonymous said...

I stopped riding some years ago, it became nerve wracking to watch out for pedestrians, trucks and the worsts drivers of large cars which truly believe they have absolute right of way because they are in a car.

My deepest sympathy for his family and friends, losing a loved one in such a senseless way is truly tragic.

Anonymous said...

@6:04 PM
"secret agendas and so many other distractions"
I think you've made yourself quite clear. Especially by your obvious omission of the largest concentration of victims of these killer drivers. "Pedestrians".