The crane operator of the lattice boom crawler crane owned by Bay Crane that crashed in Tribeca earlier this year — killing one person — was found responsible for the mishap, officials said Friday.
The Buildings Department stripped operator Kevin Reilly of his license and filed a case to revoke it permanently.
“The crane operator involved in this incident acted recklessly, with tragic results,” Buildings Department Commissioner Rick Chandler said. “The actions we’re taking should send the message to everyone in the construction industry that safety must come first.”
David Wichs, 38, a Harvard-trained math whiz who worked at a lower Manhattan trading firm, was walking on Worth Street when the 565-foot crane came crashing down on him on a blustery day last February.
Wichs, who lived with his wife on the Upper West Side, died instantly.
His wife Rebecca is suing the city for $600 million.
Buildings Department investigators determined that Reilly failed to secure the crane the night before the accident and lowered the boom at an improper angle on the day it crashed.
