Jonathan Martinez: Boy, 5, dies after being HIT and DRAGGED by speeding pickup truck while crossing road
QUEENS, NEW YORK CITY: A 5-year-old boy died after being struck by a pickup truck while crossing 100th street in Queens on Thursday, September 1, around 5.45 pm. As the boy and his parents crossed the street, a white Dodge pickup truck's driver turned onto the East Elmhurst block and struck the boy, according to police.
Jonathan Martinez, 5, was holding his father's hand as he walked alongside his parents and older brother. As soon as the father noticed the truck turning, he allegedly pulled the boy back, but the truck hit and dragged him. The driver then fled away from the spot CBS news reported. Police stated that the boy was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was declared dead. The boy died of severe trauma to the head and torso.
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The family is from Astoria and was on their way to an East Elmhurst park when the tragedy occurred. "I live in Yonkers. My sister called me and she said somebody hit him," cousin Sylvia Jerez said. After the accident that claimed her cousin's life, Jerez says her family is devastated and wants the driver to turn himself.
The intersection has long caused concern for the neighbors, according to them. A neighbor Diana Tacuri stated, "It's a little bit dangerous because a lot of people come in fast since there's no stop sign, no bump. They actually sometimes kind of race, also." She added, "Some people, they drive so fast, and another thing. We need a stop sign, and in our community, we need a speed bump."Nearby residents recently petitioned for a speed bump on 99th and 25th Avenue that has assisted in slowing down traffic. 100th and McIntosh is the location for the next one.
The incident was being looked into by the NYPD Collisions Investigation Squad. The investigation is still ongoing and the driver of the white Dodge pickup truck is still on the loose.
Recently, in another report, Charles Criniere, father of 10 and teacher at Martin City K8, died in a freak hit-and-run collision on Saturday, August 27 while he was out biking over the weekend. Criniere was a middle school math teacher and faith leader in his community and was known for being a kind person.