DSNY Garbage Truck Driver Arrested in Fatal Brooklyn Pedestrian Crash

Garbage Truck Driver Charged After Fatal Crash in Brooklyn

“You killed my sister. You took the only person that I have away from me.” With those raw words, Shannon Lynch set the stakes for the legal reckoning now facing the man behind the wheel of a sanitation truck that fatally struck her twin sister. On Wednesday, that driver, Timothy McVey, a 41-year-old Staten Island man, turned himself in and was arrested, nyc.streetsblog.org reported. He faces two low-level misdemeanor charges in the death of Siobhan Lynch, a 30-year-old pedestrian killed at a notoriously dangerous Brooklyn intersection.

The charges stem from the Oct. 28 crash at the corner of Cropsey Avenue and Bay Parkway in Bensonhurst. According to police, McVey was behind the wheel of a Department of Sanitation truck when he made a right turn onto Bay Parkway and struck Lynch, who was crossing the street with a green light. Both had the signal, but the law requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. notes it remains unclear why McVey did not, a question central to both the criminal case and an internal department review.

Family Grieves Loss of Lynch

The consequences of that split-second decision are now unfolding on two tracks: one in a criminal courtroom, the other in the home of a family forever altered. Lynch’s mother, speaking to the New York Daily News, described her daughter as “tiny” and “petite,” just 5 feet tall and 94 pounds. “She was like 5 feet tall, 94 pounds, very thin, very frail, and she went flying,” the mother said. “It just ravaged her body. She was hemorrhaging from the inside.” Medics rushed the young woman from Bath Beach to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, but she could not be saved.

Loved ones push for accountability after DSNY truck hits, kills woman

Friends and family remembered Lynch not just for her small stature, but for the immense space she filled in their lives. A GoFundMe page set up to help with her funeral expenses paints a picture of a deeply caring woman. “Siobhan was someone anyone could get along with; she listened with her entire heart and made sure you knew it,” wrote friend Jacqueline Mariano. “She was the biggest nerd with an even bigger heart and a smile that truly lit up the room.” Lynch is described as a beloved daughter, aunt, and twin sister who often helped take care of her sister’s children.

The tragedy has also cast a harsh light on the intersection where it occurred. reports that the crossing of Cropsey Avenue and Bay Parkway is one of the most dangerous in New York City. In 2025 alone, there were 30 reported crashes at that single intersection, injuring 21 people, including five pedestrians. Looking back further, city statistics show at least 106 crashes have occurred there since 2021, injuring 77 people, including 18 pedestrians and three cyclists. The intersection serves as a gateway to the Belt Parkway, one of the city’s most perilous highways, funneling impatient drivers onto wide, fast-moving roadways.

“This is a terrible tragedy, and our thoughts are with the family of the victim. DSNY is assisting NYPD with their ongoing investigation.”

— Sanitation Department spokesperson, amNY

McVey Risks Job over Charges

McVey, who has worked for the Department of Sanitation since 2022 and earned $53,187 last year, according to city records, now faces legal jeopardy. The two charges against him—failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to exercise due care—are both misdemeanors. A conviction carries a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $250. While these are low-level charges, they could still cost McVey his commercial driver’s license, which would likely lead to his termination with the DSNY.

DSNY worker arrested for killing a woman in Brooklyn while driving a garbage truck https://t.co/fzxv5QzLGU

— https://x.com/Gothamist/status/2118333636038553775

The Sanitation Department, which declined to comment further on the arrest, has already initiated its own internal investigation. The agency’s disciplinary process is separate from the criminal case and could result in different consequences. However, it is certain the Lynch family will keep the pressure on. Shannon Lynch’s vow to ensure McVey “faces full punishment” suggests the fight for accountability is far from over.

The case also prompts a broader question about safety, especially for the city’s sanitation workers who operate large, heavy vehicles on complex routes. While specific data on sanitation truck-related pedestrian fatalities is not readily available, the sheer size and weight of these trucks make any collision with a pedestrian potentially catastrophic. The Department of Sanitation’s own website outlines its commitment to safety, but this incident highlights the tragic reality that even with protocols, accidents can and do happen.

Sanitation Truck — Photo: nydailynews.com

Legal Process Continues for McVey

The road ahead for this case is defined by uncertainty. McVey’s arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court was still pending as of this report. The outcome of the criminal trial will hinge on the evidence presented, including why McVey did not yield. Even if he is found not guilty or pleads to a lesser charge, the Sanitation Department’s internal process will continue, focused on whether he violated department rules.

For the Lynch family, the legal process is just one part of their grief. They have lost a sister, a daughter, and a friend whose absence leaves an irreplaceable void. The community, too, has lost a vibrant member. As the wheels of justice turn slowly, the memory of Siobhan Lynch—a woman with a smile that lit up the room—recalls the human cost of a split-second decision on one of New York’s most dangerous streets.