Child Dies After Bronx Scooter Crash; Father Arrested
Police said Mario Rosario Sr. was driving a stolen motorized scooter with his 4-year-old son aboard when he and a turning Toyota driver collided at Bailey Avenue and West 193rd Street; the child died.
What We Know
Police said Mario Rosario Sr., 24, was riding south on Bailey Avenue on a stolen motorized scooter with his 4-year-old son, Mario Rosario Jr., when he tried to pass William Baez, 51, as Baez was turning a Toyota sedan onto West 193rd Street. The impact threw the father and child to the ground; police said the boy was not wearing a helmet, suffered severe head injuries and died at St. Barnabas Hospital. The city crash record lists one motorist killed and one motorist injured, with driver inexperience and improper turning recorded as contributing factors. Police arrested the father on child-endangerment and stolen-property allegations, and also arrested Baez on an unlicensed-driving allegation; news reports described the exact license charge differently.
Police described a scooter ride, a left turn and a fatal fall
The city crash record places the collision at Bailey Avenue and West 193rd Street at 9:22 p.m. on August 14, 2022, involving a motorscooter and a sedan. Police told news outlets that Mario Rosario Sr. was riding south with his 4-year-old son, Mario Rosario Jr., when he tried to pass William Baez, who was turning a Toyota sedan onto West 193rd Street.
The impact sent the father and child to the ground, according to the reports. Police said the boy was not wearing a helmet, suffered severe head trauma or head injuries, and was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died.
Bailey Avenue has seen repeated serious harm
The crash happened at Bailey Avenue and West 193rd Street in the Bronx. CrashCountNYC’s Bailey Avenue corridor context shows 281 crashes, 204 injuries, 18 serious injuries and 2 deaths since 2022.
The child passenger died; both adult drivers were arrested
The official record lists the person killed as a 4-year-old male passenger on the motorscooter. News reports identified him as Mario Rosario Jr. and said he was riding with his father, Mario Rosario Sr.
Gothamist reported that the elder Rosario suffered minor injuries. The Daily News reported that Baez’s brother-in-law described seeing people trying to revive the child and the father crying at the scene.
Police arrested Rosario on child-endangerment and stolen-property allegations, according to Gothamist and the New York Post. William Baez was also arrested; Gothamist described the allegation as driving without a license, while the New York Post described it as aggravated unlicensed operation tied to a suspended license.
Reports and records describe the scooter and sedan
The official record lists a 2022 Fly Wing motorscooter traveling south with two occupants, and a 2022 Toyota sedan traveling south with one occupant before a left turn. News reports described the scooter as stolen, and police said an adult-size helmet was found at the scene.
The official record and press accounts differ on how the child was positioned: the city record describes a passenger seated on another person’s lap, while news reports said the boy was on the back of the scooter or seated behind his father.
The official record cites driver inexperience and improper turning
The city crash record lists driver inexperience for the motorscooter operator and improper turning for the sedan driver. The sedan entry also lists driver inattention or distraction. Police accounts in the news reports focused on Rosario trying to pass as Baez turned left onto West 193rd Street.