Sunday evenings in the park are supposed to be relaxed affairs. Families spread out, someone fires up a grill, the kids run around, and nobody expects a motorcycle to join the gathering uninvited. At Commodore Barry Park in the Bronx, that is more or less what happened just before 6:40 p.m. on June 29, 2026.
A three-wheeled Can-Am motorcycle driven by 53-year-old Neisha Atkinson of Brooklyn lost control near Flushing Avenue inside the park and plowed into a crowd. Witnesses told News 12 that a family was in the middle of eating dinner outdoors when the vehicle came their way.
Twelve park visitors were injured in the crash, along with Atkinson herself, bringing the total to 13 people taken to area hospitals. Post-crash footage from the scene showed the Can-Am with a chair wedged into its front wheel, which probably tells you everything you need to know about how the incident unfolded.
Atkinson was arrested and charged with two counts of reckless endangerment, reckless driving, failing to yield to pedestrians, and improper licensing. Police have not confirmed what caused her to lose control, and the investigation remains open.
A New Bike and a Lesson Learned the Hard Way
One witness who said he knew the driver offered an explanation that will resonate with anyone who has ever seen a new rider overestimate their abilities. He told News 12 that Atkinson had recently acquired the motorcycle and likely wanted to show it off.
“She just got the bike, so she probably wanted to make a first impression,” he said, adding that the bike simply got away from her.
That scenario, unfortunately, is not unusual. New vehicle ownership has a way of inspiring confidence that experience has not yet earned. A Can-Am Spyder or similar three-wheeled platform can feel approachable to riders who find traditional two-wheelers intimidating, but a wider stance and an extra wheel do not automatically translate into mastery of the machine.
What Is a Can-Am Three-Wheeler?
For those unfamiliar with the vehicle involved, Can-Am produces a line of three-wheeled motorcycles that are popular alternatives to conventional bikes. They steer more like a car than a traditional motorcycle and are often marketed as more accessible for newer or returning riders.
However, they are still classified as motor vehicles, require appropriate licensing, and carry real consequences when operated without proper training or control. As the witness at the scene put it plainly: “I consider that’s a motor vehicle. That’s a motorcycle.” Hard to argue with that.
Park Spaces and the Limits of Vehicle Access
Beyond the question of rider inexperience, there is the more straightforward matter of where vehicles belong. Parks, pedestrian zones, and crowds of people eating dinner are not appropriate places to take a motorcycle for a spin, regardless of how many wheels it has.
Thirteen people being transported to hospitals on a Sunday evening is a serious outcome, and the charges Atkinson now faces reflect that. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not disclosed further detail on the exact sequence of events.