Local Man Hit By Car At DeKalb And South Oxford Disputes Police Account; Asks For Witnesses To Come Forward

Every morning, neighbor David Brahler walks Olive, his beagle bulldog mix, to Fort Greene Park for some exercise, but on November 3, their morning routine changed when Brahler was hit by a car at the intersection of DeKalb Avenue and South Oxford Street.

According to police, Olive had run out into the street and Brahler had saved her, taking the hit from the car himself. However, Brahler disputes that account, stating that the driver — seen in the above picture on the left in the white shirt and tie — “sped up into the intersection as the light turned yellow.”

There had been three cars at the stoplight, Brahler told us by email. The first car turned right and the second car “sped into the intersection in the middle of both lanes, just narrowly missing us.” Then the third car, which he said had been further down South Oxford, closer to Lafayette, rushed to make the newly-turned yellow light.

“I heard the car’s acceleration and turned to see him speeding toward us in the crosswalk,” Brahler told us by email. “Olive was on my right between me and the car. I realized she was going to be killed or severely injured on impact, so I pulled her out of harms way to my left with her leash. I was quickly hit by the driver. I went up onto the hood of the driver’s SUV, hitting my hip, butt, and back before rolling off and scraping my elbow, and hitting my back again. I laid immobile and severe pain in the south lane of Dekalb, still holding onto Olive’s leash, when another pedestrian came to my assistance. She stated she saw everything. She’s pictured in the photograph to the right of the SUV walking Olive to the sidewalk out of harms way.”

According to Brahler and at least one witness who arrived after the initial impact, a nearby ambulance stopped to make sure he was okay before leaving to take their existing patient to the hospital. Then another ambulance arrived for Brahler and took him to Brooklyn Hospital’s emergency room, where he remained from 7:30am to 12pm — and where he says police never came to take his statement.

As for Olive, one of the pedestrians took her home for Brahler. “I’m very grateful for the help of both pedestrians,” he said, adding that “the driver never made any attempts to apologize or check on my health after he hit me with his SUV.”

Asked whether they ever interviewed Brahler about the incident or whether there was any change in their police report — since the original report had incorrectly listed Brahler as a woman — a police spokesperson stated that “it’s an ongoing investigation.”

For Brahler, he maintains that “[the driver’s] claims that “I came out of nowhere” and was “chasing my dog” are grossly inaccurate.”

To prove that, he is hoping to find the two pedestrians/witnesses who assisted him, as well as any other witnesses.

“There are no broken bones or head trauma, but I’m suffering from severe muscle trauma and spasms in my back and am having difficulties walking,” Brahler said. “I have to have follow up appointments for additional x-rays and to check for internal damage.”

Brahler can be reached at dgbrahle@gmail.com.