A long-cold New Year’s Eve hit-and-run that left a panhandler dead on a Brooklyn corner has now led to an arrest, with prosecutors accusing a 30-year-old woman of dragging the victim for roughly half a mile before driving off.
Police in Brooklyn arrested Ajahnni Triana on May 27, 2026, in connection with the December 31, 2024 collision that killed 64-year-old Michael Foster. Authorities say Foster was struck on Caton Avenue near Flatbush Avenue and then dragged until he became dislodged near Linden Boulevard and Nostrand Avenue, where he was pronounced dead at the scene. Triana faces criminally negligent homicide, reckless driving and leaving-the-scene charges in the case. She pleaded not guilty and was released without bail.
According to New York Daily News, Triana was arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court after investigators linked her to the long-unsolved crash. Court records reviewed by the outlet list the charges and note that she has four prior arrests, including criminal mischief, petty larceny, criminal contempt and assault. The paper also reports that Triana lives in East New York, more than four miles from the crash site.
The deadly collision drew local attention when it first happened. Police say a white Audi hit Foster on Caton Avenue near Flatbush Avenue on December 31, 2024, then dragged him east until he separated from the vehicle near Linden Boulevard and Nostrand Avenue, according to Brooklyn Eagle. Emergency responders pronounced Foster dead at the scene, and the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad took over the hit-and-run investigation. Neighbors and bystanders provided cellphone video and descriptions that helped investigators trace the car’s route.
Neighbors told reporters Foster was a familiar, if quiet, presence along the curb. “He would go out to the cars and beg for change,” neighbor Noel Clauson told the New York Daily News, saying he often saw Foster at the light. Another neighbor, John Isdore, told the paper that Foster “kept to himself and did not have family” and that he “was in a drug rehab program.”
Investigation and Safety Context
The arrest comes roughly 17 months after the crash, a reminder that hit-and-run cases can drag on while detectives sift through surveillance footage, vehicle evidence and witness videos. The New York City Department of Transportation’s SIRTA program reviews every fatal crash and coordinates with the NYPD to recommend potential engineering or design changes at crash locations, according to NYC DOT reports. City officials say those reviews are meant to identify fixes that could help prevent similar tragedies on city streets.
What’s Next in Court
Triana’s case is now moving through Brooklyn criminal court after her not-guilty plea. Prosecutors have charged her with criminally negligent homicide, reckless driving and leaving the scene of a collision that resulted in death. Under New York law, criminally negligent homicide applies when someone causes a death through criminal negligence rather than an intentional act, as outlined in Penal Law §125.10 and summarized by Justia. Triana’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and a next court date was not listed publicly.
Neighbors and street-safety advocates say they will be watching closely, especially after months of anger and grief in the area where Foster was killed. A prior report on residents asking for justice described locals calling for answers and urging anyone with video or information to come forward. For now, the criminal case will work its way through the courts while investigators and prosecutors finish assembling their evidence.
