Driver Charged Years After Be Tran Killed on Myrtle Avenue
The Last Delivery
A driver in a BMW hit and killed 74-year-old pedestrian Be Tran on Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood at 7:40 p.m. on Aug. 14, 2022, and prosecutors later charged Florin Stoian after his extradition from Germany.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
Be Tran, 74, died after a driver in a BMW hit him on Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood on Aug. 14, 2022. The official crash record lists unsafe speed and records one pedestrian death. Police initially searched for the hit-and-run driver; in 2026, prosecutors said Florin Stoian was driving east in a black BMW X6, crossed the double yellow line while trying to pass another driver, hit Tran, left the scene and later set the BMW on fire. Stoian was extradited from Germany and charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene of a fatal crash, arson and other counts.
A driver left after hitting Tran on Myrtle Avenue
The official record says one pedestrian was killed on Myrtle Avenue at 7:40 p.m. on Aug. 14, 2022, in a crash involving a station wagon or SUV. Police told amNewYork that Be Tran, 74, was crossing Myrtle Avenue when the driver of a black BMW traveling east hit him and continued south on Seneca Avenue.
Officers from the 104th Precinct found Tran in the roadway after a 911 call, and EMS pronounced him dead, according to amNewYork.
Reports placed the crash in Ridgewood, with different nearby cross streets
The official record places the fatal crash on Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood. Initial and later reports from amNewYork, QNS, CBS New York and the Daily News described the location as at or near Hancock Street, while ABC7 and a QNS rally story referred to Myrtle and Seneca avenues.
Police said the driver continued south on Seneca Avenue after the impact, a detail that appears in the early coverage.
Tran’s family described his last night of work
ABC7 reported that family members said Tran was finishing his last DoorDash delivery of the night. His daughter Tina Tran said, "He was a really great person," and DoorDash called his death "a heartbreaking tragedy."
Relatives later told reporters they had waited more than three years for an arrest. Hong Tran told the New York Post, "I want justice for my brother."
Speed was central in the official record and later allegations
The official crash record lists unsafe speed as a contributing factor, and the vehicle details also list driver inattention or distraction. In 2026, the Daily News reported that police said Stoian was speeding east in a black BMW X6 and crossed the double yellow line while trying to get around another driver before hitting Tran.
A 2026 extradition brought criminal charges
In February 2026, police said Florin Stoian had been returned from Germany to Queens. ABC7 reported that he was charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, assault and arson; the Daily News also listed leaving the scene of a fatal accident, criminal mischief, tampering with evidence and reckless driving.
Prosecutors alleged that after leaving the crash scene, Stoian ditched the BMW and later set it on fire; CBS New York reported that the fire spread to other cars and homes. A judge ordered Stoian held without bail, according to the Daily News.