BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A Brooklyn man has been arraigned on a manslaughter indictment after allegedly speeding through a stop sign and crashing into a school bus, killing his 26-year-old passenger and injuring the driver before attempting to flee the scene in an Uber.

Key Points

Tyree Epps, 32, indicted on manslaughter and multiple related charges
Crash killed passenger Imani Vance and injured school bus driver
Defendant allegedly fled in an Uber before being caught by police

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that Tyree Epps, 32, was arraigned before Supreme Court Justice Dineen Riviezzo on charges including second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, assault, and leaving the scene of an incident. Epps was ordered held without bail and is due back in court on June 20.

The crash occurred around 1:15 p.m. on February 27, when Epps allegedly ran a stop sign at a high rate of speed while driving a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 southbound on Van Sinderen Avenue. He then struck a school bus traveling on Blake Avenue in East New York, causing his passenger, Imani Vance, to be thrown into the windshield.

Passenger killed, driver injured

Vance, 26, was rushed to Brookdale Hospital, where she was pronounced dead from blunt impact injuries, including a fatal heart laceration. The school bus, which had no passengers on board, collided with a third unoccupied vehicle. The 57-year-old female bus driver suffered minor injuries.

Prosecutors said the defendant showed “a shocking disregard for human life and safety” by allegedly fleeing the crash site instead of helping the victim.

Attempted getaway ends in arrest

After the collision, Epps allegedly fled on foot and jumped into an Uber, instructing the driver to leave the scene. Police were able to track the vehicle and stopped it, prompting Epps to flee again on foot before being apprehended by NYPD officers.

Charges against Epps also include disobeying stop signs, speeding, and operating a vehicle without a license.

Tyree Epps is being held without bail following a fatal crash that prosecutors say was marked by reckless driving and an attempted escape.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.