Woman Dies After Falling From Moving SUV and Being Struck on BQE in Brooklyn

The latest

November 8, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time.

A 37-year-old woman was killed in the early hours of Sunday morning after inexplicably opening a door, falling from a moving sport utility vehicle, and being struck by a trailing sedan on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway near Downtown Brooklyn, New York City police reported.

The fatal incident unfolded around 2:26 a.m. along the westbound lanes of Interstate 278 (the BQE) approaching Exit 28 at Cadman Plaza West, near the approach to the Brooklyn Bridge. According to preliminary findings by the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad, the victim was traveling as a passenger in the rear seat of a 2021 Toyota Highlander driven by a 33-year-old man.

For reasons that remain under active investigation, the woman suddenly unlatched the rear passenger door and tumbled out of the moving SUV directly onto the active highway asphalt. Moments later, a westbound 2018 Hyundai Elantra driven by a 29-year-old man struck the fallen victim. Police confirmed that the Toyota and Hyundai did not collide with one another.

Emergency responders arrive at chaotic scene

Emergency medical personnel from FDNY and local EMS units were dispatched within minutes following multiple frantic 911 calls from passing motorists. First responders arrived to find the woman unresponsive on the roadway with extensive body trauma. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Both drivers immediately pulled over to the highway shoulder and waited for emergency personnel. Police officers conducted field sobriety and license checks at the scene; neither driver exhibited signs of alcohol or drug impairment, and neither was injured in the incident. As of Sunday morning, no criminal charges or moving violations have been filed against either motorist.

Westbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway near Exit 28 experiencing heavy investigation delays following a fatal overnight collision. Motorists advised to seek alternate routes.

— NYPD News (@NYPDnews) Traffic advisory on X

The victim's name is being withheld by the NYPD pending proper notification of next of kin. Investigators are working to interview the driver and any other occupants of the Highlander to ascertain the circumstances preceding her sudden exit from the moving vehicle.

Hours-long highway shutdown and forensic probe

The overnight tragedy forced authorities to shut down all westbound lanes of the BQE between the Manhattan Bridge ramp and Atlantic Avenue for more than five hours, creating substantial traffic diversions across Downtown Brooklyn and surrounding arterial streets.

Specialized collision reconstruction detectives utilized digital laser scanning and tire-mark analysis to document the precise vehicle speeds and trajectory leading up to the impact. Westbound lanes were formally reopened to normal morning traffic shortly after 7:30 a.m.

Authorities have urged anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who possesses vehicular dashcam video along the BQE between 2:15 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.

BQE Westbound at Exit 28, Brooklyn, New York

The star marks the westbound lanes of Interstate 278 (BQE) near Cadman Plaza West and Exit 28 where the fatal collision occurred.

Map: OpenStreetMap contributors. Location: Interstate 278 (BQE) approaching Exit 28, Brooklyn, NY.

Timeline of the overnight BQE fatality

Chronology of events documented by the New York City Police Department and emergency responders:

1. 2:26 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 8 911 dispatchers receive urgent calls reporting a woman fallen from a vehicle and struck on westbound BQE near Exit 28.
2. 2:27 a.m. Investigators determine a 37-year-old passenger opened the door of a 2021 Toyota Highlander, fell onto the road, and was struck by a trailing 2018 Hyundai Elantra.
3. 2:32 a.m. FDNY emergency medical technicians arrive at the scene; the victim is pronounced deceased from catastrophic physical trauma.
4. 3:00 a.m. NYPD Highway District Collision Investigation Squad completely shuts westbound lanes to process physical evidence and deploy reconstruction sensors.
5. 7:35 a.m. Highway investigators conclude on-scene forensics; all westbound BQE travel lanes are reopened to traffic.
6. 10:00 a.m. NYPD confirms both drivers remained at the scene, cooperated with officers, and no arrests have been made.

Sources and visual credits

New York Daily News · FOX 5 New York · Gothamist · News 12 Brooklyn · NYPD News on X.

Hero and thumbnail: default Breaking News section card. Map data: OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Research note: Casualty details, vehicle makes (Toyota Highlander and Hyundai Elantra), driver ages (33 and 29), and investigation timeline verified against official NYPD Deputy Commissioner Public Information (DCPI) statements and FDNY dispatch logs. The victim's identity remains withheld pending family notification.