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A deadly crash left a devastating scene overnight in the Flatlands section of Brooklyn. Police sources say the vehicle involved had been reported stolen.
The crash happened shortly before 1:45 a.m. Monday on 35th Street at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue.
Surveillance video showed the black Honda Civic jump the curb and slam into the side of a building, splitting the car into two pieces and scattering debris across the roadway.
It plowed through garbage bags set on the sidewalk and narrowly missed a U.S. Postal Service mailbox. The impact left the intersection littered with trash among the wreckage.
“This is crazy — crazy and other words that you can’t put on camera,” one resident said after waking up to the damage.
“I thought it was a multi-vehicle accident until I realized that it was actually just one vehicle in several parts,” another resident added.
A sidewalk shed in front of the building is now in need of safety repairs, officials said.
According to police sources, the car, which had a TLC livery license plate, had been left running at Regent Place and Flatbush Avenue, about a mile and a half north of the crash scene.
“A car just flew past me, it literally flew so fast that my whole car shook,” one witness said.
“This could’ve been a lot worse. He hit a building where people live,” said another. “People could’ve been coming out of their house.”
The 41-year-old man behind the wheel was found lying in the street, police said. He was taken to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His name has not been released.
Elijah Westbrook is an Emmy award-winning journalist. He joined CBS News New York in January 2022.
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©2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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