Unlicensed driver arrested following fatal crash on Major Deegan Expressway.
A tragic pedestrian accident on the Major Deegan Expressway has left a 62-year-old man dead. The incident occurred early on Friday morning, February 6, 2026, at approximately 5 a.m. near East 233rd Street in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx, where the highway flows adjacent to Van Cortlandt Park.
The driver involved in the fatal incident, identified as Robert Blakney, has been arrested and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Further investigation revealed that Blakney does not possess a valid driver’s license. Reports indicate that the victim was attempting to cross the expressway when he was struck by Blakney’s Chevrolet Suburban. Emergency Medical Services pronounced the man dead at the scene, although authorities have yet to release his name.
After the accident, Blakney was taken to Montefiore Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries. It was during this medical evaluation that police discovered his lack of a valid driver’s license, prompting his subsequent arrest.
In the aftermath of the collision, all southbound lanes of the Major Deegan were closed for several hours as law enforcement conducted an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Blakney resides in Elmsford, New York, approximately 12 miles from the location of the accident.
This incident was noted as one of two fatalities on New York City roadways within a short period that morning. Just 30 minutes prior, a separate accident occurred involving a 50-year-old man, Carlos Astimbay, on the Long Island Expressway in Queens. Astimbay’s vehicle reportedly struck the center median before being rear-ended by a Kenworth tractor-trailer. He was subsequently transported to New York Presbyterian-Queens Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the tractor-trailer was also taken to the hospital, but there were no immediate charges filed in that case.
As investigations continue into both incidents, these tragedies highlight concerns surrounding pedestrian safety and driver accountability on New York City’s busy roadways.
