From The New York Shitty Inbox: Witnesses/Help Wanted

Yours truly has received all manner and variety of correspondence over the years. Some are humorous. Some downright belligerent. But the following will unfortunately be the most memorable. A fellow hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Larry, writes (in an email entitled “August 2nd blog and photo of pedestrian struck on humboldt and metropolitan“):

Dear Miss Heather,

Hopefully you can help??

My wife, Heather along with myself and our 2 children were very close with the individual that was struck by the livery car that fateful night.(August 1st, 2012) The victim of this horrible hit and run, was a young man from our hometown of East Grand Rapids, Michigan.

His name was Leighton Parnham. He was only 19 years old and as a result of this (my opinion) vehicular homicide, passed away at Bellvue Hospital on August 7th 2012. If you would like to learn about this fun loving young man, visit this link:

http://obits.mlive.com/obituaries/grandrapids/obituary.aspx?pid=159143187

or
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/08/east_grand_rapids_high_grad_ki.html

The family is destroyed.

I am also a retired police officer and evidence technician from the suburbs of Chicago.
It seems the police have no interest in this homicide, which according to NY VTL section 10, leaving the scene of a traffic accident, resulting in death, is a class D felony.

We are tying to obtain the truth into what happened and any help you can provide would be great. i.e. person T, who originally posted this and what seems is a photo from their window overlooking the scene, any witnesses from Legion Bar that night…

I understand the driver of the livery car left the scene and was stopped by police with a smashed windshield and front end damage, but, was not arrested or even ticketed…

I have spent a significant amount of time today corresponding with Larry and Heather. They, in turn, have been corresponding with Leighton’s father (who, you can imagine, is devastated). The latter has given me permission to get the word out about this— one of many “accidents” hereabouts involving livery cabs, I’ll add— in the hope someone who witnessed this “hit and run” will step forward and speak up. To Heather (Larry’s wife) via email at: H_shortt (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Losing a child is quite frankly beyond my comprehension. I cannot imagine the pain Leighton’s family and friends have experienced and are presently experiencing. Nonetheless, we are in a position to help them get some semblance of “closure”. Finding out what actually what happened is a vital first step. Please help spread the word, north Brooklynites. Thanks.

Photo Credit: Screencap of Leighton Parnham comes via MLive.

 

New York Shitty Day Ender: Live From The 94th Precinct Community Council Meeting

This evening’s meeting— the last one for 2011— was short and sweet. However, there were items of (sadly, distressing) interest. Without further ado, here we go!

Part I: Marie introduces herself, calls the meeting to order, minutes from the previous meeting are read, etc.

Part II: Deputy Inspector Hurson gives a rundown of the month’s “activity”. Regrettably, the Cooper Park Houses receive a great deal of attention.

  • D.I. Hurson notes that this year has been, overall, a very good one. Still there are problems. Primarily around/in the Cooper Park Houses.
  • Two shootings have come to pass. One was perpetrated by a 15 year old youth; the other arose from a domestic situation and came to pass at 20 Debevoise Street. After 1 1/2 hours of negotiation, he gave himself up to the police.
  • The party responsible for robbery at knife point at the Graham Avenue stop of the L train has been apprehended and is likely to have been responsible for a number of similar crimes in the area. The “perp” is a 60 year old male who hails from the Cooper Park Houses.
  • The DWI fatality on Meserole Avenue is recounted. D.I. Hurson informs us that the pedestrian hit at Calyer Street and McGuinness Boulevard later died as a result of his injuries. The person responsible for the latter was caught thanks to surveillance cameras and a Mercedes Benz hood ornament found at the scene.
  • Deputy Inspector Hurson notes traffic issues, namely those involving Kent Avenue and bicycle lanes have come to his attention. He notes that at North 6th Street alone there have been four accidents. This amongst the worst to be found in our fair city. As a result, the Department of Transportation is conducting a study with the 94th’s full cooperation.
  • Club enforcement: a “social club” selling alcoholic beverages which was operating out of a private residence on Lombardy Street has been shut down.
  • Both Halloween and the New York City Marathon came to pass peaceably.

Part III: The Q & A Session begins.

  • A resident of the apparently troubled intersection of North 3rd Street and Berry Street speaks about confronting a rather belligerent fellow urinating on his stoop. As some of may recall, this same behavior and location were brought up at last month’s meeting. The difference this time: apparently The Levee (whose previous incarnation was Kokies— a club which will live in Williamsburg infamy) is the culprit, not Radegast.
  • The matter of food trucks, namely “Endless Summer”, is brought forth. The customers of said truck are dumping their refuse/half-eaten foodstuffs on the street and this has resulted resulted in an increased presence of rats. You get the idea. A member of our local Community Board’s Public Safety Committee, Tom Burrows, inquires about the one hour parking rule. He is told by D.I. Hurson that they have to feed the meter like everyone else.

Part IV: The Q & A Session concludes.

  • The new tenant leader of the Cooper Park Houses introduces herself, commends D.I. Hurson for the work the 94th has been doing and states her utmost wish to meet the office assigned to police her community (because she has yet to see him/meet him). Tomorrow.

An equally brief New York Shitty analysis/Op. Ed.: As some of you might recall, earlier today yours truly met a very lovely young woman on the premises of the Cooper Houses. A very young kitten had walked up to her and instead of simply walking away she took her into her arms— and heart. Not being in the position to keep her, she allowed me— a total stranger promising this kitten would find a loving home— to take her. For this she, her sister and grandmother thanked me.

The real thanks should go out to Kaileigh— and her family. Thanks to them this kitten will have undoubtedly have a safe place to call home and grow into “cat-hood”. Why shouldn’t Kaileigh— a human, and a very sweet one at that— get the same? Just a thought.

Until next year, folks…

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