September 15, 2025 EAST NEW YORK, Brooklyn—In a scene that could have ended in tragedy, a 71-year-old man was struck by a car in Brooklyn after a 15-year-old driver, too young to legally hold a license, lost control of the vehicle. The harrowing incident, captured on video, has left local residents shaken and grateful that the outcome wasn't worse.
The crash took place just before 10 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Hegeman Avenues. Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with debris scattered across the street. According to police, a black Honda Accord, reportedly driving the wrong way, suddenly went airborne and slammed into a utility pole.
Video footage of the terrifying moment shows the car careening toward a curb where two men were standing. In a split second, one of the men, a 71-year-old, was struck while the other managed to leap to safety. The utility pole bore the brunt of the impact, likely saving the victim's life. "It was two guys standing there. One of them got hit, one of them got lucky," said Ali Ahmed, a worker at a nearby deli. "Thank God the other one who got hit is alive right now."
As the mangled car burst into flames, the teen driver fled the scene on foot. Police, who were already in the area, quickly gave chase and apprehended the young man. He is now being questioned as a person of interest.
The victim was rushed to the hospital and is in stable condition. Meanwhile, the teen driver has since been charged with grand larceny, leaving the scene of an accident, criminal possession of stolen
