A hit and run crash on Bridgeport's east side has left a construction worker with life changing injuries and fuelled a push for safer streets in the neighbourhood. Peppy Palma, who is 48 years old, is now blind in his right eye after he was struck by a driver who did not stop. The case has become a rallying point for residents who say the area has long been dangerous for people on foot.
The crash happened about three weeks ago. Palma was crossing the street on his way to work, at East Main and East Washington Avenue, at around half past seven in the morning when he was hit. The driver fled the scene, turning a daily walk to work into a moment that would change his life.
His injuries were severe. In addition to being partially blinded after suffering a detached retina in his right eye, Palma was left with a broken leg and a concussion. Images taken in the hospital showed him bleeding from the right side of his face, and he ended up spending a week being treated for his injuries.
The consequences have reached well beyond the hospital. Palma has no medical insurance and says he is now unable to work and get back on his feet. He has spoken plainly about what he wants from the aftermath of the crash, saying simply that it was not right and that he wants to get justice.
His friend and advocate, Talitha Frazier, has channelled that frustration into a wider complaint about driving in the area. She said too many drivers run red lights and speed through the city, and pointed to Palma as yet another pedestrian struck by a driver who did not stop. She described herself as angry, hurt and upset, saying the crash was not called for.
The location sits at the heart of daily life on the east side. The crash happened near a neighbourhood bodega that residents describe as the epicentre of the area, a place where people park across the street and walk over for a coffee or a sandwich. One resident who lives nearby said he regularly hears crashes and commotion, and likened crossing the street to a risky game.
State Representative Chris Rosario, who represents this part of Bridgeport, is pushing for major safety changes, from new lights to speed bumps and signage, warning that there is too much opportunity for pedestrians to be put in harm's way. Police, meanwhile, are still searching for the driver, describing the vehicle as a light coloured SUV last seen heading south on East Main Street, and are asking anyone with information to come forward.