NEW YORK, NY — A 23-year-old man was arrested and charged with attempted murder more than eight months after allegedly driving his Ford Mustang onto a Bronx sidewalk and striking six pedestrians in broad daylight.
Williejoe Delgado was apprehended Wednesday by the NYPD warrant squad in connection with the July 3, 2025 vehicular attack that injured six people on Courtland Avenue near East 149th Street in Melrose. The arrest comes as New York City continues to grapple with a series of pedestrian fatalities and hit-and-run incidents, highlighting ongoing concerns about street safety in dense urban areas. Delgado faces attempted murder charges in what prosecutors are treating as an intentional assault using a vehicle as a weapon.
The incident occurred shortly before 11 a.m. when Delgado was driving his 2017 Ford Mustang southbound on Courtland Avenue, according to law enforcement officials. Police said he deliberately mounted the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of pedestrians in what investigators determined was an intentional act. Surveillance cameras in the area captured the incident, providing crucial evidence that led to the attempted murder charges rather than lesser vehicular assault counts. The NYPD released images from that surveillance footage shortly after the ramming incident, asking for public assistance in identifying and locating the suspect. Delgado remained at large for more than eight months before his Wednesday arrest.
Six victims ranging in age from 30 to 79 years old were struck during the rampage, police said. The injured pedestrians included three men ages 30, 43, and 69, along with three women ages 30, 49, and 79, according to NYPD officials. All six victims suffered what police classified as minor injuries despite the violent nature of the attack. Emergency medical services transported each victim to Lincoln Hospital, where they were treated and listed in stable condition. The relatively minor injuries were attributed to the speed at which Delgado was traveling and the quick response of some pedestrians who were able to partially avoid the vehicle’s path.
The Melrose neighborhood where the attack occurred has seen increased attention from city officials regarding pedestrian safety measures and traffic enforcement. Courtland Avenue serves as a major thoroughfare connecting residential areas to commercial districts, with heavy foot traffic throughout the day. The intersection near East 149th Street is particularly busy during morning hours as residents commute to work and school. City transportation data shows this corridor has experienced multiple vehicle-pedestrian incidents over the past five years, though most involved accidental collisions rather than intentional assaults. Local community leaders have advocated for additional traffic calming measures and enhanced police presence in the area since the July incident.
This marks Delgado’s first arrest, according to police records, raising questions about his motive for the seemingly random attack on strangers. His arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court was pending Wednesday night, with prosecutors expected to argue for significant bail given the serious nature of the charges and the extended time he evaded capture. The attempted murder charges carry potential sentences of up to 25 years in prison if convicted. District Attorney’s office spokespersons have not yet commented on whether they will seek additional charges related to the extended period Delgado remained at large. Defense attorneys have not been identified in court records, and it remains unclear whether Delgado will claim the incident was accidental rather than intentional.
The arrest comes during a period of heightened concern about pedestrian safety in New York City, with multiple high-profile hit-and-run incidents occurring in recent weeks. Earlier this week, a 69-year-old Queens woman named Espina Bundley was killed in a hit-and-run crash on the Upper East Side, with police arresting 43-year-old Bryan Alexis Guashpa Rumipamba on charges of leaving the scene. Another fatal hit-and-run occurred last week when a tractor-trailer driver struck 44-year-old Terrill Jenkins at Lexington Avenue and East 61st Street. Traffic safety advocates have pointed to these incidents as evidence of the need for stronger enforcement and harsher penalties for drivers who flee accident scenes.
Delgado remains in custody pending his court appearance, with the case now moving through the Bronx Criminal Court system. Police have not disclosed whether additional evidence beyond the surveillance footage contributed to the attempted murder charges, though the extended investigation suggests prosecutors are confident in their ability to prove intentional conduct. The six victims have not been publicly identified, and their current conditions remain unknown eight months after the incident.
