A tragic incident occurred in the Bronx when Ahmad Ladson, a 32-year-old Department of Sanitation worker, was left critically injured after being struck by an SUV. The accident took place on Colgate Ave. near Watson Ave. in Soundview around 8 a.m. yesterday, according to the Daily News. Ladson was collecting the trash when he was hit by a driver in a Toyota Highlander, pinning him against the sanitation truck and crushing his legs.
Footage obtained by the Daily News captures the horrifying moment of the crash, showing Ladson, donned in a yellow reflective jumpsuit, being smashed between the SUV and his garbage truck. Subsequently, he falls to the ground, rolling into the street and screaming in agony.
Both the injured sanitation worker and the 40-year-old SUV driver were taken to Jacobi Medical Center. In a statement gathered by the Daily News, Finbar Devine posted to Facebook detailing Ladson's condition, "He’s lucky they were able to save his leg but still has a very long recovery ahead of him." The GoFundMe page for Ladson's medical expenses has seen a swift outpour of support, raising over $20,000 within 24 hours.
Despite the severity of the crash and the critical injuries sustained by Ladson, the SUV driver has not faced charges while the NYPD continues its investigation into the incident. As Streetsblog reports, no criminality is suspected at this time, prompting questions and concerns from various quarters regarding the driver's attentiveness and whether she might have been distracted or speeding prior to the crash. The NYPD spokesperson stated that, "The investigation is ongoing." The crash highlights the ongoing discourse about the dangers that come part-and-parcel with refuse collection, which encompasses higher fatality rates than even policing or firefighting, as reported by StreetsPAC in 2021.
A disturbing fact echoed by the Department of Sanitation in their response to the crash, "Sanitation workers have a dangerous job, as the horrifying video of this collision shows. Sanitation Worker [Ahmad] Ladson remains at Jacobi Hospital receiving round-the-clock care, and every single one of New York’s Strongest is incredibly grateful to the medical team there. Our entire Department stands with Sanitation Worker Ladson’s family in this difficult time," as noted by Streetsblog.
