Driver strikes and kills teen on Long Island Expressway.
A driver in an eastbound 2019 Lexus RX 350 SUV struck 18-year-old Carlos Criollo near 98th Street on the Long Island Expressway at 3:20 a.m. on August 26, 2023; the official record counted one pedestrian death and no other injuries.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
A driver traveling east in a Lexus SUV struck 18-year-old Carlos Criollo near 98th Street in Corona as he tried to cross the Long Island Expressway at about 3:20 a.m. on August 26, 2023. The official crash record counted one pedestrian death and no injuries.
Reports describe the attempted crossing differently.
The Daily News reported that police said a driver in a 2019 Lexus RX 350 SUV was traveling east in the right lane when the driver struck Criollo as he crossed the expressway. amNewYork attributed to investigators that Criollo was trying to cross from north to south and apparently had crossed the westbound roadway before the impact on the eastbound side.
The Daily News reported that medics took Criollo to New York-Presbyterian Queens and that he could not be saved; amNewYork reported that he was pronounced dead there. The official crash record counted one pedestrian death and no injuries.
Nearby pedestrian crossings were reported.
Reports placed the crash on the Long Island Expressway near 98th Street in Corona. amNewYork reported there was no pedestrian crossing at the crash location and that the speed limit was 55 mph. The Daily News described two nearby crossings: an underpass at Junction Boulevard and a pedestrian bridge at 99th Street.
The official record uses a broader vehicle category.
The official crash record categorizes the vehicle as a station wagon or sport utility vehicle. The Daily News identified it as a 2019 Lexus RX 350 SUV.
His mother remembered his warmth and interests.
Criollo, 18, lived in Rego Park. Family friend Louis Mizhquiri told the Daily News that Criollo spent time with family at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park before going to a friend's birthday party, then left around 2 a.m. to walk home. His mother, Gina Criollo, said he liked soccer and video games and described him as “a happy child, very respectful, very friendly.”
The driver remained at the scene.
The Daily News and amNewYork reported that the driver stayed at the scene and had not been charged when their reports were published on August 27, 2023.