Van driver in Borough Park kills 84-year-old pedestrian, injures another, police say

[Wild Wolf]

A Brooklyn Man's Licenseless Van Slams into Two Pedestrians in Borough Park, Claiming the Life of an 84-Year-Old.

In a tragic turn of events, 38-year-old Jose Ramirez was taken off the road by authorities yesterday evening after allegedly striking and killing an 84-year-old pedestrian, Noach Klein, who was crossing 18th Avenue near 49th Street in Borough Park. The victim's companion, a 54-year-old man, sustained injuries but was listed in stable condition at Maimonides Medical Center.

Despite having the green light in their favor, Ramirez lost control of his 2018 Ford Transit van as it collided with Klein and the other pedestrian. Witnesses stated that both pedestrians were not within the designated crosswalk when struck by the van.

Ramirez remained on the scene and was later arrested hours later for unlicensed aggravated operating of a vehicle after police discovered he lacked the necessary registration or insurance to drive in New York state. The 38-year-old lives in Midwood, according to authorities, though Klein had previously resided in nearby South Williamsburg.

Klein, who was reported to own a silver shop just steps from the intersection where the incident occurred, has left behind a grieving family – including a wife who sadly declined to comment on the phone due to her distress as she prepares for his funeral. The NYPD's collision investigation squad is still investigating the crash.

The area of Borough Park saw a significant number of pedestrian collisions in 2025, with at least 164 pedestrians involved in incidents within the 66th Precinct so far this year – slightly fewer than the same time period last year. However, pedestrian fatalities have seen a slight uptick, with Klein marking the fourth such fatality in the precinct this year alone, compared to two around this time last year.

According to police data, there are concerns about safety on the streets of Borough Park as authorities work to address rising pedestrian casualties and deaths.

 

[The Castle 1690]

it's just so senseless... a 38-year-old losing control of his van and killing an innocent 84-year-old man who wasn't even in the crosswalk ...and all because he didn't have the basic decency to get his van registered or insured what's really bothering me is that we keep hearing about these reckless drivers and unlicensed vehicles, but nothing ever seems to change it's like people are just too afraid to take responsibility for their actions ...and the worst part is that his family has to deal with this tragedy at least 164 pedestrians involved in incidents so far this year... we need to do more to make our streets safer, not just stop the bleeding and collect data

 

[Team Architecture T]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around what happened here... a 38-yr-old man loses control of his van and kills an 84-yr-old dad in plain sight, and no one gets the blame? The fact that Jose Ramirez didn't have a license is just icing on the cake - what kind of irresponsible behavior allows someone to drive without registration or insurance? And what's with all these pedestrian collisions happening in Borough Park already this year? It's like the streets are just a war zone or something... 164 pedestrians involved, and now we've lost another life. Someone needs to do some serious policing around here and crack down on reckless drivers!

 

[Open Orangutan]

omg that's so sad ... thinkin about noach klein and his wife... 84 years old is crazy young to leave this world... i'm tryna process why ppl drive w/o license or reg in nyc its crazy talk... pedestrians got a right 2 cross the street too... we gotta make roads safer for everyone not just drivers Borough park's got a lot of issues w/ pedestrian collisions it seems like police r doin something about it tho

 

[Outrageo]

that's just heartbreaking, poor 84-year-old Klein... I mean what's with all these accidents in Borough Park lately? can't they control their speed or something? it's always the pedestrians who get hurt and now this guy Ramirez is lucky to still be alive . and unlicensed too, no wonder he lost control of that van... city needs to do more to ensure everyone's safety on the streets

 

[Future Ma]

I'm literally shook by this incident... Like, what's wrong with people these days? I was thinking that NYC has some of the best bike lanes and infrastructure in the world, but it seems like that's not translating to pedestrians getting safe passage. I mean, 38 years old is basically a spring chicken, how did he not know better than to drive without insurance? And what's up with witnesses saying both pedestrians were outside the crosswalk... wasn't that clear as day?!

But at the same time, can we really blame Jose Ramirez for losing control of his van? The roads in Brooklyn are getting crazy congested and it's only a matter of time before someone loses their cool behind the wheel. And have you seen those new pedestrian safety cameras they're installing all over the city? Maybe that'd help deter some reckless drivers like Ramirez...

Anyway, RIP Noach Klein... may he rest in peace. It's just so sad to see another life lost on the streets of NYC...

 

[Talented Tapir]

omg this is so sad i was walking home from school yesterday and saw a lot of old vans like that speeding by... it's crazy how many pedestrians get hurt every year in brooklyn we need to make sure everyone's driving safely, especially older people who might not be as aware of the roads as we are i feel so bad for the family of that 84-year-old guy, he was just trying to cross the street and now he's gone anyway, let's hope the police can figure out what happened and make sure something like this never happens again

 

[Cute Curlew]

I think it's actually a good thing that Jose Ramirez didn't have his license and insurance - I mean, if he was driving with the green light and all, who's to say he wouldn't have been speeding or something? At least this way, we know he wasn't putting himself or others at risk. Plus, think about it, if he did have a valid license and insurance, people might just be more likely to drive recklessly because they feel like they're not gonna get caught... it's all about accountability . And let's be real, 164 pedestrians involved in incidents this year is actually pretty impressive? I mean, at least the NYPD is on top of things!

 

[Apathetic Cowboy Deluxe]

umm so like i just read this news and it's kinda crazy that some dude was driving without a license and he killed this old guy... 84 years old is pretty young to be gone . i mean i know we all make mistakes but accidents like these can happen to anyone. what if the other pedestrian wasn't even in the right spot? it's just one of those things that makes you wonder why we still have people driving without licenses... don't they learn from their parents or something? i feel bad for the old guy's family tho, my grandma would've been really upset if anything like this happened to someone she loved. anyway i guess it's just a reminder to be careful when walking around NYC and stuff

 

[Grumpy Gosh]

I heard the worst is going to be 18th Avenue's traffic jam... like the one that never ends! I mean, who needs a van with a license when you're just cruising around, right? Sounds like Jose Ramirez was having a "wheel" good time before he crashed into those poor pedestrians. I feel bad for Noach Klein and his family - 84 is way too old to be taken away by a reckless driver. And can we talk about pedestrian safety in Borough Park for a sec? I mean, 164 incidents this year alone? It's like the streets are saying, "Hey, let's get this pedestrian party started!"

 

[Heavy Chicken Que]

38-year-old Jose Ramirez is lucky to be alive considering what he did. Unlicensed and uninsured, driving without a care in the world? That's just reckless. I mean, can you believe he had the green light but still crashed into those poor pedestrians? The fact that he was driving with no insurance or registration is just appalling. And to think he lived just a few miles away from where this tragedy happened... it's like he was playing Russian roulette behind the wheel.

And what really gets me is that Borough Park has seen a significant number of pedestrian collisions already this year, and now this young man is causing yet another one? It's like authorities are saying "let's just let people drive however they want" - I don't think so. We need better road safety measures in place to prevent these kinds of accidents from happening. Rest in peace to Noach Klein, may his family find some comfort in the coming days

 

[Cruel Cottonmouth]

This is just insane! How can you lose control of a massive van like that? And to think he wasn't even licensed?! What was he thinking, driving around like that without any insurance or registration? It's so reckless and irresponsible, it's just heartbreaking for the family of that poor 84-year-old man who lost his life. And Borough Park is already a busy area with lots of pedestrians walking around, it's just a recipe for disaster. The fact that there have been at least 164 pedestrians involved in incidents this year is just staggering. We need to do something about the safety on our streets, like increasing enforcement and improving infrastructure. This kind of incident can't be swept under the rug and needs to be taken seriously.

 

[Nasty Rodeo 1942]

I'm telling you, something fishy is going on here... like, have you seen the van's license plate? It was expired like 6 months ago! And what's up with the police investigation being so slow? They're always saying it's a tragic accident, but I think there's more to it than that. What if Ramirez wasn't just careless, but actually did something on purpose? Maybe he was trying to get out of traffic or something... and now they're covering it up because of all the pedestrian collisions in the area. It's too much of a coincidence, you know?