NYC Nurse Killed by Hospital Ambulance in Hit-and-Run, EMTs Suspended
A 44-year-old Brooklyn nurse was struck and killed by a hospital ambulance in a hit-and-run in the Midwood neighborhood early Thursday morning, April 2, 2026. The victim has been identified as Cherry Cayetano Sobel, a nurse and mother of two young children who lived about a mile from the scene.
The fatal collision occurred around 6:30 a.m. at the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Avenue O. According to the NYPD, an ambulance operated by Maimonides Medical Center was making a left turn from Avenue O onto Ocean Avenue when it struck Sobel as she crossed the street. The driver, a 42-year-old male whose identity has not been released, did not stop.
A bystander called 911, and Sobel was rushed to Maimonides Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Surveillance footage obtained from a nearby gas station captured the moment the ambulance turned onto Ocean Avenue and struck Sobel. The video shows the ambulance making the left turn with what witnesses described as sirens sounding at the time of the collision. The vehicle continued without stopping.
According to News 12 Brooklyn, bystanders immediately ran to help Sobel after the collision. A city bus driver who witnessed the incident attempted to chase down the ambulance but was unable to catch up with it.
NYPD detectives have said they believe the collision was likely accidental and that the driver may not have realized the ambulance struck a pedestrian.
>>Listen to The Latest Nurse News Podcast
Maimonides Medical Center confirmed that both EMT staff members aboard the ambulance at the time of the incident have been suspended. In a statement, hospital spokesperson Sam Miller said, “The Maimonides family is devastated by this tragic loss. Our EMT staff who were involved in the incident have been suspended pending the outcome of the NYPD’s investigation.”
As of this writing, no arrests have been made and no charges have been filed. The NYPD’s investigation into the incident remains ongoing. Police distributed safety flyers in the area following the collision, warning about the dangers posed by turning vehicles to pedestrians.
Sobel is survived by her husband, Jeff, and their two young children. She lived in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn, approximately six blocks from the crash site.
This tragedy strikes close to home for the nursing community. Cherry Cayetano Sobel was one of us, a nurse and a working mother whose life was cut short on what should have been an ordinary morning commute. Her death is a stark reminder that workplace safety for nurses extends beyond hospital walls.
The incident also raises important questions about emergency vehicle operation protocols. Ambulances navigating city streets carry an inherent risk to pedestrians, and the fact that the driver reportedly did not realize a person had been struck highlights potential gaps in driver awareness training and vehicle safety systems. Many hospitals and EMS agencies are now exploring additional safety technologies, including pedestrian detection systems for emergency vehicles.
For nurses who walk, bike, or commute on foot in urban areas, this case is a painful reminder to remain vigilant at intersections, especially during early morning hours when visibility may be limited. And for nurses working in EMS, it underscores the critical importance of situational awareness during emergency response, even at low speeds.
