Teen Motorcyclist Dies in Queens Crash With MTA Bus
Dylan Picaza, 16, was killed at Astoria Boulevard and 101st Street in Queens when police said he rode a Kawasaki motorcycle into the side of a Q49 MTA bus; the city record lists traffic-control disregard in the crash.
What We Know
Dylan Picaza, a 16-year-old Queens resident, was riding a 2009 Kawasaki motorcycle east on Astoria Boulevard at 101st Street around 10:37 p.m. on Oct. 10, 2023. Police told the Daily News he hit the side of a Q49 MTA bus; the city record lists a motorcycle and bus, one motorist killed, and no other reported injuries. Police said Dylan was not wearing a helmet and died at the scene. The Daily News, citing sources with knowledge of the case, reported he was traveling at a high rate of speed. The city vehicle record lists traffic-control disregard and unsafe speed for the motorcycle. MTA officials said the bus had just left the LaGuardia depot, was in service, and had no passengers. Police said the bus driver was not injured and no criminal charges were filed.
Police said the teen rider hit the side of a Q49 bus
The crash happened at about 10:37 p.m. on Oct. 10, 2023, at Astoria Boulevard and 101st Street in Queens. The city crash record lists one person killed, a motorcycle and a bus, and no other reported injuries.
Police told the Daily News that Dylan Picaza was riding east on Astoria Boulevard on a Kawasaki motorcycle when he hit the side of a Q49 bus at 101st Street. Police said he was thrown from the motorcycle, was not wearing a helmet, and died at the scene.
Dylan Picaza was a 16-year-old from Queens
The city record identifies the person killed as a 16-year-old male motorcycle driver. The Daily News identified him as Dylan Picaza and reported that he lived in Elmhurst, about a mile from the crash location.
Dylan’s mother told the Daily News that he was born in Peru, liked sports, and rode a bike and scooter. She also called for a fuller investigation, telling the paper, “I want an investigation.”
The bus was in service but carried no passengers
The city vehicle record lists a 2009 Kawasaki motorcycle traveling east and a 2009 Orion bus traveling north. MTA officials told the Daily News that the Q49 bus had just left the LaGuardia depot, was in service, and had no passengers aboard.
Police said the 52-year-old MTA bus driver was not injured.
Speed and traffic-control disregard appear in the record
The city crash record lists traffic-control disregard as a contributing factor. The motorcycle vehicle record lists traffic-control disregard and unsafe speed.
The Daily News reported, citing sources with knowledge of the case, that Dylan was traveling at a high rate of speed.
Astoria Boulevard and 101st Street sit on a crash-heavy corridor
The crash occurred at Astoria Boulevard and 101st Street in Queens, near East Elmhurst and LaGuardia Airport.
CrashCountNYC’s location context for 101st Street in Queens shows 217 crashes, 108 injuries, 5 serious injuries and 2 deaths since 2022.
Police said no charges were filed
The Daily News reported that police said no criminal charges were filed after the crash.