Washington Heights, NY (October 22, 2026) – A motorcyclist was killed in a crash involving a tractor-trailer on the upper-level eastbound Trans-Manhattan Expressway, according to the Port Authority Police Department.
Officers received reports of the crash at about 5:19 a.m. on October 22. Port Authority police, FDNY personnel and Port Authority tunnel and bridge agents responded. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, and the tractor-trailer driver was not injured, authorities said.
The Port Authority said all of the George Washington Bridge’s upper-level lanes into New York were closed due to police activity. Traffic was diverted onto local streets in Washington Heights, and NYPD traffic agents were deployed to manage congestion. The Port Authority said lanes were beginning to reopen on the upper level as of 8:15 a.m. Officials said the road reopened after 10 a.m.
Police have not released the motorcyclist’s identity, and the crash remains under investigation.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Who May Be Liable When a Tractor-Trailer Collides With a Motorcyclist in New York
NHTSA reported 6,228 motorcyclist deaths nationwide in 2024, or 16% of all traffic fatalities. Per mile traveled, riders were almost 27 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash. A collision with a large truck adds a question a two-car crash does not. Responsibility can reach past the driver to the company behind the truck.
The cause of this crash has not been released, and nothing reported so far assigns fault to anyone. After a rider’s death, the family may bring a wrongful death claim for what they lost. The estate may bring a survival claim for what the rider endured.
- First steps: Ask the Port Authority Police Department how to request the crash report. Ask that the truck, motorcycle and helmet not be repaired or salvaged. Send insurance calls to one trusted person.
- Who may be liable: The truck driver, the company that employs or dispatches the driver, and any cargo loader or maintenance contractor, depending on what investigators find. Driver logs, inspection records and the truck’s electronic data can be lost if no one asks that they be preserved.
- Deadline and fault: New York gives families two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim (EPTL § 5-4.1). Here, that means October 22, 2028. Comparative fault rules changed in 2026 for many motor vehicle claims. An attorney checks which version applies to a rider’s case.
Questions About a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Manhattan? Talk to Frekhtman & Associates
Going up against a trucking company and its insurers is a burden no grieving family should carry alone. Our Manhattan motorcycle accident lawyers are led by trial attorney Arkady Frekhtman, who holds a 9.8 out of 10 Avvo rating. We investigate the crash, demand the truck’s records, value the full claim, and take the case to trial when an offer falls short.
What Manhattan families get from Frekhtman & Associates after a fatal motorcycle and truck crash:
- $900M+ recovered for injured New York clients across more than 25 years of practice
- $69,225,000 auto accident jury verdict, one of the largest in New York State history
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- Personal callbacks from founding attorney Arkady Frekhtman
- Russian-language services available
- Zero fees unless we win your case
- Manhattan office at 30 Broad St, serving families across the borough
- $2,400,000 mediated settlement in a Bronx truck accident (McKenna v. DJM Transportation)
Call 866-821-0718, visit us at 30 Broad St, Suite 1461 in Manhattan, or send the details through our contact form.
