NYC firefighter dies after falling off motorcycle, being struck by car

A New York City firefighter died after falling from his motorcycle and being struck by a car on the FDR Drive early Thursday, according to authorities.

Police said the crash happened near East 25th Street on the highway's northbound side. A preliminary investigation found that 31-year-old Matthew Goicochea was riding a 2023 Yamaha motorcycle when he lost control and fell, authorities said, adding that an unknown vehicle hit his motorcycle moments later and left the scene.

Goicochea was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The NYPD’s Highway Collision Investigation Squad is investigating.

No arrests have been made.

The FDNY confirmed Goicochea’s death in a statement and said he joined the department in September 2022. Last year, he was awarded the Thomas Wylie Medal for rescuing an unconscious person from a burning building in the Bronx, according to the FDNY.

“We lost a true hero this morning with the tragic passing of Firefighter Matthew Goicochea, who served the @FDNY with distinction since 2022,” Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry wrote on X. “His dedication to serving and protecting New Yorkers, including his heroic rescue of a fire victim in the Bronx that earned him the Thomas Wylie Medal last year, exemplifies the selflessness and courage that define all of New York’s Bravest.”

This is a developing story and may be updated.