In a turn of events, Samuel Williams, a 36-year-old father from the Soundview section of the Bronx, was killed last year during a police pursuit on the University Heights Bridge. The New York Daily News reported on the release of body cam footage by the New York Attorney General's office, showing the moments leading up to the fatal collision involving an NYPD officer, identified only by the last name Perez, and Williams, who had been riding an unregistered dirt bike.
Despite the serious nature of the collision which led to Mr. Williams's death, his family received a bill for $3,429.23 from the city comptroller's office for damages to the police car involved in the crash—an administrative misstep that has only added to the family's grief – according to a report by THE CITY. New York City's Comptroller Brad Lander has expressed outrage over the incident, which resulted from a report given by the NYPD that omitted critical details about Williams's death and the fact that it followed a police pursuit. He has pledged an internal review to avoid similar incidents in the future.
This case is yet another statistic in a steep rise in police pursuits under Mayor Eric Adams and the NYPD leadership, which has also seen an increase in pursuits-related crashes. According to the New York Daily News, this is part of a concerted effort by the NYPD to act against illegal vehicles, including unregistered dirt bikes and ghost cars, a policy that Police Chief John Chell has been emphatic in supporting despite the dangers associated with high-speed chases.
On a more personal note, Williams leaves behind a daughter who was seven at the time of his death. His sister, Sha-Sha Prince, told New York Daily News, "They were really close." The impact of this incident on Williams's family has been significant, with their attorney, Jamie Santana, stating that the police officer's actions directly led to Samuel's death. Santana also noted that, at most, Williams should have been stopped, detained, and issued a summons for the unregistered vehicle, rather than encountering a deadly situation with law enforcement.
The investigation into this incident is still ongoing, with Williams's family pursuing legal action against the NYPD and calling for criminal charges against the officer involved. Meanwhile, the Police Benevolent Association and the NYPD have offered limited commentary, and Officer Perez remains on the force pending investigation, as detailed by a spokesperson for the NYPD to THE CITY.
