Driver Accused in Fatal Myrtle Avenue Hit-and-Run
Prosecutors later accused Florin Stoian of hitting Be Tran, 74, with a rented BMW X6 and fleeing after an Aug. 14, 2022 crash on Myrtle Avenue that city data recorded as a pedestrian death tied to unsafe speed.
What We Know
Be Tran, a 74-year-old pedestrian, was killed on Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood on Aug. 14, 2022. The city crash record listed unsafe speed in the collision and identified the vehicle as an eastbound BMW SUV. Prosecutors later accused Florin Stoian of hitting Tran while driving a rented black BMW X6, leaving the scene, crashing, running off and returning hours later to set the vehicle on fire. The New York Post reported in 2026 that Stoian had been brought back to New York to face charges including manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, arson, reckless driving and tampering with physical evidence; his lawyer said Stoian was innocent.
A pedestrian was killed on Myrtle Avenue
The city crash record says a 74-year-old man walking on Myrtle Avenue was killed at about 7:40 p.m. on Aug. 14, 2022. The record lists the pedestrian as crossing away from an intersection or crosswalk and cites unsafe speed in the crash.
Prosecutors later accused Florin Stoian of hitting Be Tran while driving a rented black BMW X6 in Ridgewood, then leaving the scene.
The crash was reported in Ridgewood
The official record places the fatal crash on Myrtle Avenue, with coordinates in Ridgewood. The New York Post also described the site as Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood.
Records identify a BMW SUV
The official record lists one eastbound BMW SUV, occupied by one person and going straight ahead before the crash. The vehicle record lists damage to the center front end and also notes driver inattention or distraction as a contributing factor for the driver.
The Post, citing prosecutors, described the vehicle as a rented black BMW X6.
Prosecutors said the driver fled and later tried to burn the evidence
According to the Post account of prosecutors' statements, Stoian left after hitting Tran, crashed the BMW, ran off and returned hours later to set it on fire, damaging several buildings.
The Post reported in February 2026 that Stoian had been brought back to New York and charged with manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, arson, criminal mischief, reckless driving and tampering with physical evidence. His lawyer said Stoian was innocent and expressed condolences to Tran's family.
Be Tran's family waited years for an arrest
The Post identified Tran as a beloved food delivery driver. His brother, Hong Tran, told the paper that the family wanted justice and had waited more than three years after the fatal crash.