The fourth pedestrian to die this year in Brooklyn’s 66th Precinct was 84-year-old Noach Klein, a longtime Williamsburg resident who was struck and killed by a van Wednesday evening while crossing a Borough Park intersection that neighbors say has been a danger zone for years. The fatal crash occurred just after 6:30 p.m. at 49th Street and 18th Avenue — a busy, dimly lit junction where traffic often moves quickly, and pedestrians have repeatedly voiced safety concerns.
According to police, Klein and another man, age 54, were attempting to cross the street when a Ford Transit van, driven by a 38-year-old man, struck them both. Investigators noted that the men were not in a marked crosswalk but had the pedestrian signal in their favor. Witnesses said the impact was forceful, sending both men to the ground as bystanders rushed to help.
Emergency responders arrived within minutes and transported the victims to Maimonides Medical Center, where Klein succumbed to his injuries. The second man remains hospitalized but is expected to survive.Authorities confirmed that the driver stayed at the scene and cooperated fully with the investigation.
Early findings suggest that neither speeding nor intoxication played a role, though detectives are examining visibility conditions and traffic patterns in the area.Klein’s death has reignited calls from residents and community leaders for improved pedestrian safety measures in Borough Park, including better lighting, clearer crosswalk markings, and longer walk signals.
“We’ve been asking for changes here for years,” one neighbor lamented. “How many more people have to die before something is done?”Known for his humility and devotion to his faith, Klein’s passing has left his community heartbroken. His loss stands as yet another painful reminder of the urgent need to make Brooklyn’s streets safer for everyone.
