BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A retired NYPD officer and his girlfriend were killed in a motorcycle crash on Labor Day in Brooklyn, authorities confirmed.
The victims have been identified as 42-year-old Reinaldo “Rey” Rodriguez and 42-year-old Mirella Vega. Police say the pair were riding a newly purchased 2025 Harley-Davidson when it collided with the rear passenger side of a Mercedes-Benz SUV.
The crash happened around 8:10 p.m. on Monday, September 1, along Atlantic Avenue at Elton Street in the Cypress Hills neighborhood. According to investigators, the SUV was attempting to make a left turn when the motorcycle struck it. Both Rodriguez and Vega were thrown from the bike. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene, while Vega later died at Brookdale University Hospital.
Rodriguez, who served 21 years with the NYPD before retiring this spring, had recently purchased the motorcycle as a retirement gift to himself. His family described him as “a ray of sunshine with a smile that would illuminate the entire room” — loyal, compassionate, and deeply devoted to his loved ones.
Rodriguez is survived by his 10-year-old son. Vega, a medical assistant, leaves behind three children. The two, who first met in high school, had reconnected later in life and shared a deep bond.
“Regrettably, this beautiful soul’s retirement aspirations were abruptly halted, along with those of the woman he cherished deeply, Mirella,” Rodriguez’s family said in a statement. “We kindly request that you keep her family in your thoughts and prayers as well.”
The crash remains under investigation by the NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad.
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