Fatal Hit-And-Run Renews Call For Safety At Brooklyn Intersection

Park Slope NY

08 March, 2021

4:28 PM

Description

BROOKLYN, NY — A fatal hit-and-run has renewed calls for safety improvements to a dangerous Red Hook intersection where officials have known about unsafe conditions for at least seven years, according to reports. Elected officials and the family of Imorne Horton gathered Friday at the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Court Street to honor the 31-year-old, who was hit Feb. 24 just a block from his home. The demonstrators demanded not only that the NYPD find and arrest the driver, but that the city put in place safety measures at the intersection, which sits under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, according to Streetsblog. "We just want justice," Imorne's mother, Tasha Horton said, according to the outlet. "This is my oldest son and I miss him dearly. Elected officials have written a letter to the Department of Transportation asking for traffic cameras, red light and speed cameras and other short-term improvements to the roadway, which was identified in a 2014 city report as needing safety upgrades, Streetsblog reported. There have been 81 crashes at the northside of the intersection since the 2014, according to the outlet. The vigil also comes as the community raises money for Horton's family. A fundraiser started by Red Hook Relief has raised more than $4,000 since it was started last week. The money will be used to help the family with funeral and memorial costs. "There is so much to remember about Imorne," it reads. "He was the sweetest, most soft spoken person you could ever know. Imorne had a distinctive ability to reach people in a deep and positive way. He loved to volunteer with the elderly, give food to those in need and was all around a benevolent individual. "It's a very tough time financially for so many us, anything helps."