Driver Fatally Hit 7-Year-Old at Queens Crosswalk
Police said a 46-year-old woman rolled through a stop sign before fatally hitting 7-year-old Dolma Naadhun; the official record places Dolma in a marked crosswalk at Newtown Road and 45th Street.
What We Know
A 7-year-old girl was killed while crossing Newtown Road at 45th Street in Queens. According to the police report, she was walking in a marked crosswalk when a Ford SUV driven by a permit-holder, heading east, hit her with the front center. She died at the scene from internal injuries affecting her entire body. Police recorded driver inexperience as a contributing factor.
A child was crossing in a marked crosswalk
The official crash record says 7-year-old Dolma Naadhun was killed at Newtown Road and 45th Street in Queens at 5:49 p.m. on February 17, 2023. The record describes her as a pedestrian crossing in a marked crosswalk where there was no signal.
Police told Gothamist that a 46-year-old woman rolled through a stop sign before hitting Dolma. Gothamist also reported that the Department of Transportation said the driver had a learner's permit and was driving alone.
Newtown Road and 45th Street had a broader crash history
The fatal crash happened at Newtown Road and 45th Street in Queens. CrashCountNYC location context for 45th Street in Queens counts 179 crashes, 85 injuries, 9 serious injuries and 2 deaths since 2022.
The intersection became the focus of local demands for a traffic signal after Dolma's death, while the broader 45th Street corridor shows why residents and advocates described the danger as more than one corner.
Authorities pointed to driver inexperience and permit status
The official crash record lists driver inexperience as a contributing factor. Gothamist reported that DOT said the driver had a learner's permit, was driving alone, and had a legal amount of alcohol in her system.
Dolma's family pushed the city to change the intersection
After the crash, Dolma's 11-year-old brother, Tsering Tashi Takgye, created a petition calling for a traffic light at Newtown Road and 45th Street. Gothamist reported that local elected leaders joined the family in that demand at an event honoring Dolma.
DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez later said the city would install a traffic signal after an intersection control study. A DOT spokesperson also said the agency had already added safety improvements, including improved crosswalk markings, a curb extension and daylighting.