Woman charged, 13 injured after motorcycle plows into crowd at Brooklyn park
13 injured after motorcycle crash in Brooklyn park
A three-wheeled motorcycle crashed into a crowd inside a Fort Greene park, leaving 13 people injured, including four in critical condition.
BROOKLYN - A Sunday evening gathering turned chaotic when a three-wheeled motorcycle crashed into a crowd inside a Brooklyn park, leaving 13 people injured, including four in critical condition.
What we know:
The incident occurred just before 7 p.m. at Commodore Barry Park in the Forest Greene neighborhood. Authorities have taken the driver into custody and are actively investigating the cause of the crash.
Police have identified the driver as 53-year-old Nisha Atkinson. She and an unidentified male passenger were reportedly riding the three-wheeled motorcycle when she lost control and veered into the crowd.
Atkinson has been taken into police custody and faces multiple charges, including Reckless Endangerment, Reckless Driving, Failure to Yield and Improperly Licensed.
The crash resulted in 13 victims in total, four in critical condition and nine suffering minor injuries, including the driver herself.
'Out of control’
What they're saying:
Witnesses at the scene described a sudden, frightening disturbance during the final hour of an evening party. The impact knocked over tables, chairs, and bystanders. The initial panic was so severe that some attendees believed an active shooter was on the premises.
"I seen people running. I thought, actually, somebody came in with a gun or something. And then I realized that it was a bike at the tables and everything got knocked over," one park attendee said.
While the investigation is ongoing, bystanders noted that the vehicle did not appear to be moving at excessively high speeds. Instead, they suspect the driver lost control of the heavy machinery.
"She wasn't going fast. I think it got out of control. It wasn't like it was speeding... you know, that big thing could hit anybody to knock them down," one witness said.
Another witness stated, "I think the bike was just too big for her. When she turned her wheel... she got caught in the chair."
3-wheeled vehicle laws
Dig deeper:
New York law requires operators of three-wheeled motorcycles to adhere to the same traffic laws and regulations as standard motorcycle riders. This includes ensuring the vehicle is properly registered and that the operator holds the correct and valid licensing—a requirement authorities say Atkinson failed to meet.
The Source: Information from this article was provided by the NYPD, witness accounts and reporting by FOX 5.