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New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Hit-and-run driver who mowed down mom-to-be on way home from Beyoncé concert nabbed in NYC: officials
The hit-and-run driver who cops say mowed down and dragged a pregnant woman heading home from a Beyoncé concert was busted on murder charges, cops said Wednesday — as the victim's grieving husband slammed the motorist as a 'coward' and a 'monster.' Chaquasia Pigford, 28, faces a laundry list of charges — including second-degree murder, manslaughter, reckless driving, driving without a license, and leaving the scene of a deadly accident — for allegedly ramming into 32-year-old Tiffany Cifuni the night of May 24 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, cops said. Pigford was ordered held without bail by Judge Dena E. Douglas during her Wednesday afternoon arraignment, attended by about 10 relatives of the slain mom-to-be, including her husband, James Cifuni. Advertisement 7 Chaquasia Pigford, 28, was charged with murder in the hit-and-run that killed 32-year-old mom-to-be Tiffany Cifuni, cops said. Paul Martinka 'She's a coward,' the tearful husband could be heard saying during the proceedings. 'She's a monster.' Tiffany's father-in-law, Nick Cifuni, a private practice lawyer who previously worked for the NYPD, told reporters the family is 'happy today happened.' Advertisement 'We have been reeling from the day [Tiffany] was killed,' he said. 'We will not rest until it's over and we get justice for Tiffany. 'I don't want to say anything to disrupt the evidence of the case.' 7 Pigford allegedly struck Cifuni from behind after the two women's cars got into a fender-bender in Bedford-Stuyvesant, cops said. Paul Martinka, cell 718.810.5185 Cifuni — who prosecutors say was 12 weeks pregnant — was on her way home from the Beyoncé concert at MetLife Stadium the night she was killed, her heartbroken in-laws told WABC at the time of the tragedy. Advertisement While en route, Cifuni, who was driving a 2021 Toyota 4Runner, was rear-ended by Pigford, who was driving a stolen 2016 Chevy Trax on Lewis Avenue, cops and prosecutors said. Cifuni followed Pigford for about two blocks before the Chevy driver finally stopped at Van Buren Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard, Assistant District Attorney Tara Kelly said. 7 Cifuni was on her way home from a Beyoncé concert when she was rear-ended by Pigford, prosecutors said. Facebook / Tiffany Rivera Cifuni got out of her car and walked up to Pigford's ride — but Pigford 'refused to roll down her window or speak with Tiffany,' Kelly said. Advertisement 'At that point, the defendant first lightly pressed the gas, causing the vehicle to briefly touch Mrs. Cifuni,' Kelly recounted. 'Tiffany jumped backwards and placed her hands on the hood.' 'When a passerby was walking down the street, Tiffany yelled, asking him to take a photo of the defendant's license plate,' she added. 'At that moment, the defendant floored the gas, instantly striking Tiffany, causing her body to become lodged beneath the vehicle.' 7 Cifuni was in her first trimester at the time of her death. Facebook / Barbara Cifuni Pigford then made an illegal right turn into oncoming traffic on Marcus Garvey Boulevard, Kelly said. It wasn't until Pigford drove over a manhole that Cifuni's body was dislodged, according to the prosecutor. But the driver's rampage wasn't done — police said the Chevy struck a parked Volkswagen SUV while trying to get away, and then slammed into a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 38-year-old woman behind the wheel. 7 Tiffany's husband James Cifuni called Pigford a 'coward' and a 'monster' during the accused hit-and-run driver's first court appearance. Facebook / Barbara Cifuni 'The only reason the defendant stopped driving was because both of her front tires blew out,' Kelly said. 'She then abandoned the stolen car and fled the scene on foot.' Advertisement The crazed driver then got out and fled on foot, leaving behind the Chevy, which had temporary plates. Pigford fled to South Carolina, where she has relatives, and was nabbed when she returned to Brooklyn late Tuesday, according to Kelly. 7 Pigford, who was driving a stolen car, denied any responsibility for the deadly hit-and-run. Diego Luzuriaga/FreedomNewsTV Cifuni's in-laws previously told WABC that just two weeks before her tragic death, Cifuni had shared the news that she and James, who lived on Long Island, were expecting their first child. Advertisement Before the arraignment, Pigford – who lives less than a mile from the scene – denied any responsibility for the crash as detectives led her out of the 81st Precinct stationhouse. 'It wasn't me, it was the person who owns the car,' she told reporters. 7 Pigford faces a slew of charges and was ordered held without bail during her arraignment. Diego Luzuriaga/FreedomNewsTV Advertisement Her attorney, John Signoriello, echoed his client's denial in court and tried to press for $10,000 bail because his client has strong community ties, lives with her mother and works as a home health aide. Pigford, who wore glasses, a navy blue hoodie and black leggings, kept her hood pulled over her head during the proceedings. Her next court appearance is scheduled for July 30. Additional reporting by Larry Celona
USA Today
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
The Yugo, one of the worst cars ever, is attempting a comeback
The Yugo, one of the worst cars ever, is attempting a comeback Show Caption Hide Caption Cargo ship carrying electric vehicles catches fire, crew abandons ship Crew members of the Morning Midas, which was transporting thousands of vehicles, were forced to abandon ship after a fire broke out onboard. Electric cars have come a long way, but they're still fundamentally more expensive than equivalent gas-fed vehicles, which themselves have gotten pretty pricey lately. The answer is, of course, more affordable gas models and EVs — and some are finally here or on their way, including the 300-mile-plus, $35,000-ish Chevrolet Equinox EV, even cheaper and still great gas Chevy Trax, Ford's Maverick, and the forthcoming new-generation Nissan Leaf. Even Tesla's promising something cheaper, sometime. But what if someone were to go, like, really, really cheap? We're talking cheap to buy and cheap as a sort of lifestyle, a low-buck aura that cuts through modern cars' and EVs' expensive stigmas — we're talking, of course, about a potential small hatchback inspired by one of the worst cheap cars ever made: a new Yugo. Only this time, it won't be produced by an Eastern European former arms manufacturer or (so far) based in any way on an existing Fiat design. Word began spreading earlier this year that a professor, Dr. Aleksandar Bjelic, had taken over the Yugo name — and was working on resurrecting the infamous hatchback for modern times. The first concept has now debuted at the 2025 Car Design Event in Europe, and we're getting our first peek at Serbian designer Darko Marčeta's work. Color us surprised that the new Yugo, as it's being referred to, hews closely to the original's severely boxy, traditional hatchback shape. It goes beyond even today's boxiest vehicle on sale, Hyundai's Ioniq 5, itself inspired by (better) 1980s hatchbacks, even adopting a forward cant to its nose like that of the 1981 Yugo. Autos designed to offend: These are the 10 dumbest cars of all time Other classic Yugo details are present, as well, from the way the hood line kicks up above the headlights before leveling out until the base of the windshield, to what we can only describe as feigned panel misalignment. Look closely at the way the door cuts into the rocker panel elements on the scale model's bodyside, or how the flat-seeming front bumper abruptly is cut along each front corner's vertical boundary — it's sort of a mess. You see, the original Yugo was notoriously poorly built, to such a degree that matching that "charm" would take actual effort with today's manufacturing improvements. Maybe the designer intentionally set a bunch of body cut lines in conflict with one another to give a slightly schlubby appearance in line with the frumpy original. Or maybe we're getting too conspiratorial over a 1:5-scale model that isn't even a full-size concept car. In case you missed it: Remembering the Volkswagen Beetle and when we said bye-bye for the last time As fans of small hatchbacks and historical oddities, we're genuinely intrigued by this new Yugo. It would compete with other mini hatches in Europe, as we suspect it's not coming here, but never say never. A larger, apparently working prototype, is promised later this year. Yugo — the new one — is apparently seeking larger automakers to partner with, likely for sharing running gear and other components. We mentioned already that the new Yugo could be an EV, but apparently the backers are hoping to make the hatch a multi-powertrain vehicle, one offering gas engines — including maybe a turbo option — as well as an all-electric variant. We don't want to get too nostalgic, here, but it bears noting that a certain Italian brand once associated with the original Yugo has just such a multi-powertrain, small car that it'd surely love to get more scale from: the Fiat 500e. A new-age Yugo based on the Fiat 500e, which soon is being adapted to support gas powertrains? That'd be too easy.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Husband mourns pregnant wife run over by hit-run driver in Brooklyn fender-bender clash
A woman fatally mowed down by a heartless hit-and-run driver during an argument over a Brooklyn fender-bender was pregnant — and the center of her family's world, her devastated husband told the Daily News Monday. Tiffany Cifuni, 32, got out of her 2021 Toyota 4Runner to confront the driver of a Chevy Trax who rear-ended her near Van Buren St. and Marcus Garvey Blvd. in Bedford-Stuyvesant about 11:55 p.m. Saturday, cops say. The heartless Chevy driver ran Cifuni over, dragging her the wrong way down a one way street before crashing into two other vehicles and then running off. 'Tiffany was literally was the center of our world,' James Cifuni told the Daily News in an exclusive interview Monday. 'She made me a better person, a better man.' 'She was pregnant,' he added. 'And it's not about me, it's about her. But I lost my whole family tonight and I don't think I'll ever be the same.' The expectant mom had just told her in-laws she was in her first trimester a couple of weeks ago and was on her way home from the Beyoncé concert at MetLife Stadium when she was killed, her father-in-law told ABC 7 New York. 'This is a tragic act of violence and we're all just trying to deal with this in our own way,' her husband told the News. Late Saturday, tragedy struck in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Cifuni got into a fender-bender with another driver, and when the motorist tried to drive away, she approached the car. Cifuni was driving east on Van Buren St. when she was hit from behind by a woman driving a 2016 Chevy Trax driver, cops said Monday. In surveillance video obtained by ABC 7 New York, Cifuni drives after the Chevy, then gets out of her vehicle to confront the driver off camera over the fender-bender. 'Where are you going?' Cifuni shouts. 'Get out!' 'You trying to drive away? Get out!' she yells, repeating the command as banging sounds can be heard off-screen. ''Get out right now. Park your car and get out!' she yells. 'You don't f—ing drive away … Park your car, you just hit me!' As traffic piles up behind them, a yell and a bang can be heard as the Chevy driver pulls out, running Cifuni over and dragging her down the street. The victim's scream of anguish is captured in the video. The Chevy driver turned right onto Marcus Garvey Blvd. then turned onto Lafayette Ave., heading the wrong way down the one-way street to get away. The Chevy driver crashed into a parked SUV and a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by a 38-year-old woman before abandoning the Chevy and fleeing on foot. Cifuni didn't become dislodged from under the Chevy until its driver struck the parked vehicle, witness Shane Bridges told The News Sunday. 'They dragged her like to the middle of the street,' Bridges, 28, said. 'Then they turned wrong up Lafayette and she was just left there.' Cops were still looking for the driver Monday. The Chevy had temporary paper license plates, cops said. Cifuni married her husband in 2022 and recently moved to Long Island, her father-in-law told ABC. Her pregnancy announcement surprised and delighted her family. ''They had just hit us with that news two weeks ago and she was so proud of the fact that she surprised me and buckled my knees with the news, you know?' Nick Cifuni told station. 'Tiffany was the rockstar of our family and we're interested in getting justice and in this person getting caught.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Pregnant woman, 32, mowed down by hit-and-run driver after late-night fender bender in NYC: police
A 32-year-old pregnant woman was struck and dragged to her death by an SUV after getting into a late-night Brooklyn fender bender with the hit-and-run driver — who remains on the loose, police said Sunday. The tragic motorist, identified by police as Tiffany Cifuni, allegedly got out of her 2021 Toyota 4Runner to check for damage after a minor collision with a 2016 Chevy Trax at Van Buren Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard shortly before midnight Saturday, according to police. That's when cops said the driver of the Trax gunned it and struck Cifuni from behind, dragging her before speeding away against traffic on Lafayette Avenue, a one-way street, an NYPD spokesperson said. But the driver's rampage wasn't done — police said the Chevy struck a parked Volkswagen SUV while trying to get away, and then slammed into a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 38-year-old woman behind the wheel. The crazed driver then got out and fled on foot, leaving behind the Chevy, which had temporary plates. Police responded to the scene following a 911 call and found Cifuni, of Long Island, unresponsive. She was taken to Kings County Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said. Her heartbroken in-laws told ABC7 that Cifuni was in her first trimester of pregnancy and had shared the news with them that she and her husband James were expecting their first child just two weeks ago. The mom-to-be was coming home from the Beyoncé concert at MetLife Stadium when she was killed, according to the outlet. The driver of the Grand Cherokee was not seriously injured in that crash. The driver of the Chevy Trax remains on the loose, according to police. Additional reporting by Larry Celona.
New York Post
26-05-2025
- New York Post
Pregnant woman, 32, mowed down by SUV driver after NYC fender bender on way home from Beyoncé concert: police
A 32-year-old pregnant woman was struck and dragged to her death by an SUV after getting into a late-night Brooklyn fender bender with the hit-and-run driver — who remains on the loose, police said Sunday. The tragic motorist, identified by police as Tiffany Cisuni, allegedly got out of her 2021 Toyota 4Runner to check for damage after a minor collision with a 2016 Chevy Trax at Van Buren Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard shortly before midnight Saturday, according to police. That's when cops said the driver of the Trax gunned it and struck Cisuni from behind, dragging her before speeding away against traffic on Lafayette Avenue, a one-way street, an NYPD spokesperson said. Advertisement 5 The car used in the fatal hit-and-run death of pregnant woman Tiffany Cisuni in Brooklyn on May 24, 2025. Diego Luzuriaga/FreedomNewsTV 5 Debris in the street at the scene of the hit-and-run ear Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Van Buren Street. Diego Luzuriaga/FreedomNewsTV But the driver's rampage wasn't done — police said the Chevy struck a parked Volkswagen SUV while trying to get away, and then slammed into a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 38-year-old woman behind the wheel. Advertisement The crazed driver then got out and fled on foot, leaving behind the Chevy, which had temporary plates. Police responded to the scene following a 911 call and found Cisuni, of Long Island, unresponsive. She was taken to Kings County Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said. 5 Cisuni was struck from behind by the driver of the 2016 Chevy Trax when she got out of her car following a fender bender. Diego Luzuriaga/FreedomNewsTV Advertisement 5 The driver then struck two more vehicles while fleeing the scene. Diego Luzuriaga/FreedomNewsTV 5 The driver got out of the Chevy Trax and fled the scene on foot. Diego Luzuriaga/FreedomNewsTV Her heartbroken in-laws told ABC7 that Cisuni was in her first trimester of pregnancy and had shared the news with them that she and her husband James were expecting their first child just two weeks ago. The mom-to-be was coming home from the Beyoncé concert at MetLife Stadium when she was killed, according to the outlet. Advertisement The driver of the Grand Cherokee was not seriously injured in that crash. The driver of the Chevy Trax remains on the loose, according to police. Additional reporting by Larry Celona.
