Jiayi Zheng Killed in Brooklyn Hit-and-Run Accident
The 28-year-old nurse was struck by a fleeing black Cadillac after finishing an overnight shift
Jiayi Zheng, 28, was killed in a hit-and-run crash at 55th Street and Third Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday, according to police.
Paramedics rushed the critically injured woman to NYU Langone Hospital, where she later died. Video footage captured a southbound black Cadillac plowing into her and tossing her several feet before fleeing the scene. Investigators are actively searching for the driver of the Cadillac, who remains at large. No arrests have been announced in connection with the fatal collision.
Zheng had just finished an overnight nursing shift at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn.
According to Transportation Alternatives, 11 people have died in traffic collisions along the two-mile section of Third Avenue beneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway since 2014.
What is the status of the hit-and-run investigation?
Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage to identify the black Cadillac that fled the intersection. In pedestrian accidents such as this, traffic safety analysts examine signal timing and driver behavior at crossings.
Candice Bond, managing partner at Bond Legal, said, "Fleeing motorists leave behind a chaotic scene where critical answers seem to disappear right along with the vehicle involved. Investigators often face steep challenges piecing together what actually happened without a driver present to explain events."
"Serving as an advocate, an attorney works quickly to preserve fragile evidence and pursue accountability for catastrophic injuries caused by drivers refusing to stop," added Bond, who is also a national legal analyst for Accident News.
While police pursue the criminal suspect, the family of the deceased nurse faces a complex legal framework. When a driver flees the scene, victims' families often wonder how they can seek justice and compensation.
New York wrongful death statute
Under N.Y. EPTL § 5-4.1, surviving family members may file a wrongful death action. New York applies pure comparative fault. The statute of limitations is 2 years from the date of death.
Recoverable damages may include loss of financial support, loss of parental guidance, funeral expenses, and the decedent's conscious pain and suffering.
"When a driver runs away after a collision, debris left behind often identifies the suspect vehicle’s exact make and model," said Stefano Formica, of counsel at Bond Legal.
Formica, who is also a national legal analyst for Accident News, noted, "A legal team assists grieving families by working with accident reconstruction experts, reviewing hit and run police reports, and pursuing every potential insurance path to cover unexpected losses."