NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — An eight-year-old boy was killed and a 10-year-old boy was hospitalized with a minor injury after being struck by a pick-up truck in Queens on Wednesday afternoon, and officials said that the driver is in custody.
At 4:16 p.m., police responded to the scene in East Elmhurst where they discovered the eight-year-old victim dead.
Another boy, 10, was transported to a local hospital with a wrist injury.
The children were accompanied by their mother who was not hit. A neighbor told 1010 WINS/WCBS 880 that the trio were crossing the street when the accident occurred.
Police said that the pick-up truck had a green light at the corner of 31st Avenue and 100th Street, but did not yield to pedestrians on the turn, as the law dictates.
NYPD Chief of Transportation Philip Rivera said that the incident was completely avoidable.
“It appears that he just made that turn way too quickly,” Rivera said.
The driver did remain at the scene, and Rivera said that he was the first 911 caller.
Sources tell 1010 WINS/WCBS that the driver, who is now in custody, has previous driving-related arrests.
Rivera said that the tragedy should be used as a warning to drivers to follow proper protocol when making turns and passing crosswalks.
“Take an extra second. Make sure the intersection and the crosswalk is clear before completing your turn,” he said.