Off-duty PSA 8 offi cer killed in Shore Road collision
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Fallen police offi cer Brian Kessler served at
Police Service Area 8 for three months.
Photo courtesy of Facebook
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BY ROBERT WIRSING
The Bronx mourns the tragic passing
of a young Police Service Area 8 police
offi cer.
According to police, off-duty PSA
8 police offi cer Brian Kessler was involved
in a fatal head-on collision with a
NYC Parks Department garbage truck
on Wednesday, January 16 around 8:20
a.m. at 870 Shore Road.
Kessler, 28, was returning home to
New Rochelle after working an overnight
shift at 1 Police Plaza.
He was the vehicle’s sole occupant
when it collided with the green sanitation
truck’s front end near the curve by
Pelham Bay/Split Rock Golf Course’s
entrance.
Police offi cers from the 45th Precinct
and NYPD Emergency Service Unit and
fi refi ghters responded to the incident.
Firefi ghters extricated an uncon-
scious and unresponsive Kessler from
his heavily damaged silver 2013 Chevy
Equinox. ESU personnel administered
CPR to him as he was being transported
to Jacobi Medical Center.
Kessler, who served with PSA 8 for
the past three months, was pronounced
deceased at 9:15 a.m.
The garbage truck driver remained
at the scene.
Two Parks employees sustained minor
injuries and were taken to Jacobi
for treatment.
The incident remains under investigation
and no arrests were made.
Kessler became engaged to his fi -
ancée Denise Vargas on Wednesday,
March 14.
He joined the force on Saturday,
April 21 and graduated from the Academy
on Tuesday, October 16.
“He was well-liked and a lot of his
colleagues are distraught,” expressed
NYPD chief of Housing James Secreto.
Patrol Borough Bronx assistant chief
Nikunen thanked the NYPD, FDNY and
Jacobi for their assistance.
“I would also like to extend our
heartfelt condolences to the Kessler
family and the extended NYPD family
for their loss,” shared Nikunen.
There was a fl ood of tears Wednesday
afternoon as PSA 8 and ESU police
offi cers paid their respects to Kessler at
2794 Randall Avenue.
ESU police offi cers hung purple memorial
bunting above PSA 8’s entrance
and fl ew the precinct’s fl ag at halfmast.
“We are forever grateful to his service,
may his family and friends fi nd
peace and comfort,” stated Councilman
Mark Gjonaj.
Kessler was laid to rest at Gate of
Heaven Cemetery on Wednesday, January
23.
Following the incident that same
morning, Shore Road was closed to traffi
c north of the Bartow Pell Circle as police
investigated.
Approximately 17,000 vehicles a day
utilize the 1.4 mile road traveling past
Bartow-Pell Museum Mansion and Pelham
Bay/Split Rock Golf Course as it
winds north into Westchester County.
Since August, Shore Road has undergone
a $1.48 million topographical
and traffi c study to solve the roadway’s
hazardous conditions.
NYC Department of Design and Construction
contracted the 70-year-old
design fi rm NV5 to perform a Capital
Project Scope Development to address
fl ooding and other road conditions on
Shore Road from Pelham Bay Circle up
to the Bronx County line.
The CPSD is anticipated to take 15
months, with an anticipated completion
by late 2019.
DDC informed the study team of the
accident to see if anything specifi cally
needs to be addressed on that part of the
road.
Police examined and photographed the wreckage. Photo by Tommy Breen
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