Ray Wilkerson-Lynwood, 65, was fatally injured after he was hit by an ambulance in Downtown Brookly early morning on Feb. 1. According to Streetsblog.org, the deadly motorcycle accident occurred when Wilkerson-Lynwood was headed southbound on Ashland Place. He was struck by an ambulance being driven by a 21-year-old that was turning onto Willoughby Street near Brooklyn Hospital. The victim suffered severe head trauma and was transported to Methodist Hospital where he later died from his injuries, police said.
The driver of the ambulance and two other EMTs suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to Brooklyn Hospital. Police initially said Wilkerson-Lynwood was riding an e-bike, but Streetsblog reports that it was a motorcycle. We offer our deepest condolences to the family of Ray Wilkerson-Lynwood for their tragic loss. This incident is still under investigation.
Busy Brooklyn Intersection
Streetsblog reports that the intersection of Ashland Place and Willoughby Street in Downtown Brooklyn, where this fatal accident occurred, is a chaotic crossing where drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians constantly navigate hazards. There are multiple parking lots for the hospital as well as for Long Island University and vehicle traffic is heavy, the report says.
The northbound side of Ashland supports a two-way protected bike lane, a row of parked cars and a lane for car travel. However, at Willoughby, the northbound direction adds a turning bay that narrows the southbound lane to barely the width of a car. According to Streetsblog, in 2025, there were 11 crashes at that intersection, which injured three bicyclists, one pedestrian and six motorists.
Crashes Involving Ambulances
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) 2023 analysis of ambulance crash data between 2012 and 2018, of the individuals killed in deadly crashes, 52.3% were occupants of other vehicles involved in the crash and 7.5% were nonoccupants such as pedestrians or bicyclists. Overall, 45.7% of fatal crashes occurred during emergency use of the ambulance and 28% occurred when lights and sirens were active. Almost all (92.6%) of the 27 Special Crash Investigation (SCI) crashes reviewed involved ambulance operator/driver error.
In such cases, even though ambulances are emergency vehicles, they are not automatically exempt from liability. If the ambulance driver was negligent (careless) at the time — for example, speeding, running a red light or driving recklessly — then the ambulance driver and their employer (hospital, city, or private company) can be held liable. Even when lights and sirens are activated, ambulance drivers are required to exercise reasonable care for the safety of others.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Injured victims of negligent (careless) drivers can seek compensation from at-fault parties for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones in car accidents can seek compensation for damages such as lost future income, medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. It is in the best interest of injured victims and their families in such cases to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer before contacting the people responsible for the injuries, and definitely before contacting or communicating with any insurance company, or their lawyers, investigators, or adjusters.
For over 54 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and $2,000,000 in a hit-and-run accident, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. We also recovered $1,500,000 for a lady who was hurt by a bus.
We also obtained $295,000 out of a $300,000 insurance policy in compensation for the victim of a bicycle dooring accident (where a car door opens into the path of a bicyclist). One of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases. Also, we got a $1,400,000 verdict in a motorcycle accident.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning, paraplegia cases and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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