QUEENS, NY — A 13-year-old boy was killed and another teenager was hurt Monday afternoon when a moped crashed into an open driver’s side door on a street in Queens. Police said the driver tried to avoid the door, but the bike lost control in the collision.
The crash happened around 12:30 p.m. on 162nd Street in Flushing, and investigators said a surveillance video captured a car parking moments before the teens struck the door as it was being opened.
What did police say happened on 162nd Street?
The NYPD said the moped operator swerved to avoid hitting the door of a parked black SUV. After losing control, the passenger fell off the bike and struck a truck that was also traveling southbound on 162nd Street, according to police.
The 13-year-old passenger suffered fatal injuries. The boy who was driving was taken to a hospital, police said.
Who was hurt in the collision?
Police identified the two riders only as teenagers, including the 13-year-old who died and the 13-year-old who was driving, who was hospitalized. No other injuries were reported in the information released so far.
The account from investigators indicates the moped and the truck were both moving southbound at the time of the crash.
What have witnesses and neighbors described?
Several nearby businesses were open when the crash happened, and people in the area said the scene left them shaken. Shop owner Joe Mah said he saw the aftermath and described the bike lying under the truck.
Parent Yvette Zaeng said the crash was upsetting and said it reinforced how closely she watches her 11-year-old daughter when they cross city streets.
What happens next in the investigation?
Police said the investigation remains ongoing and no arrests have been made. Authorities have not announced any charges or said whether additional information from the surveillance video will be released.
The crash has drawn attention to the risks faced by riders and pedestrians on busy neighborhood streets, especially where parked cars and moving traffic can overlap.
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