73-year-old Alexander Shear was beloved as a true New York City treasure, known for his vast antique collection and infectious personality. Tragically, he is now also known as a person who lost their life in another New York City pedestrian accident.
Shear’s life was taken after he was mowed down by a Manhattan tour bus on the upper west side. The bus, a Shafer Tour Bus, turned from Broadway onto West 96th Street, hitting Shear and dragging his defenseless body after the collision. The bus driver claimed to be oblivious, continuing down the street before horrified witnesses flagged him down and compelled him to stop about a block after the collision. The bus driver, Choral Martin, 23, told investigators at the scene that he failed to see Shear. Martin was not issues a summons and was not arrested at the scene.
The crash occurred around 8:00pm on Friday night, sending shock waves through a neighborhood that has seen too many recent crashes result in tragedy. Shear left behind two children and an affection for New York City that was barely outsized by his passions for collecting antiques. We hope his children and loved ones remain strong in this difficult time. They will remain in our thoughts and prayers.
The crash investigation will need time to develop. We are hopeful that the accident investigators will be able to reach a just conclusion as to how and why this happened based on the evidence and witness accounts. Still, the puzzling and violent trend of pedestrian accident deaths continues. Something needs to be done and done fast.
Block O’Toole & Murphy has a long and proud history helping serious accident victims, including more than $700,000,000 in verdicts and settlements. The firm has won a $32,756,156 verdict, a $12,000,000 settlement and a $8,800,000 settlement on behalf of pedestrian accident victims. You can learn more about these accomplished trial lawyers by reviewing the firm website at www.blockotoole.com. For a free consultation, please call 212-736-5300.