Queens driver charged after fatal crash on Dry Harbor Road
Many More Years
At 4:55 a.m. on July 29, 2023, driver Filippo Bonura struck 88-year-old pedestrian Chung Lun Shao on Dry Harbor Road in Queens; QNS reported Shao died weeks later of his injuries.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
Police said Bonura was driving west when he struck Shao, who was crossing between parked cars near his Middle Village home; QNS reported Shao died at Elmhurst Hospital on Aug. 20. The Daily News later reported that video supplied by Shao's daughter showed Shao visible in the roadway for several seconds, differing from Bonura's account that Shao stepped out between cars. Bonura remained at the scene and faced driving-related charges.
Accounts differ on how Shao entered the roadway
QNS reported that a preliminary police investigation found Bonura was driving west when he struck Shao as Shao crossed between parked cars. The Daily News reported that Bonura told police Shao stepped out between two parked cars, while video supplied by Shao's daughter showed Shao clearly visible in the roadway for several seconds before Bonura struck him.
The official crash record lists driver inattention or distraction as a contributing factor.
The crash was steps from Shao's home
The official record places the crash at 61-88 Dry Harbor Road in Queens. QNS located it between 84th Street and 84th Place in Middle Village, only steps from Shao's home.
Shao was a chef and father
The Daily News identified Shao as an 88-year-old chef. QNS reported he was transported to Elmhurst Hospital in stable condition and was pronounced dead there on Aug. 20.
Investigators and relatives told the Daily News that Shao's injuries included a punctured lung, broken ribs, a fractured pelvis, internal bleeding and a brain bleed. The newspaper reported that his daughter made the decision to take him off a ventilator.
His daughter, Alice Shao, told the Daily News, “Even everyone in this building, they expected to see my father for another 20 years.”
Reports identified a Silverado pickup
QNS identified the vehicle Bonura was driving as a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado; the official record classifies it as a pickup truck. Gothamist reported that the pickup was registered as a tow truck but lacked authorization to operate in New York City. Bonura's attorney, Felipe Garcia, said the crash “had nothing to do with his work as a tow truck driver.”
Reports list different charges
QNS reported that Bonura remained at the scene and faced charges of aggravated unlicensed operation and driving with a suspended license. The Daily News reported that he was released without bail. A 2026 Gothamist report listed charges of failure to exercise due care, aggravated unlicensed operation and driving without a license. These reports describe charges, not convictions.