Driver charged after 3-year-old killed in Flushing hit-and-run
Police said Kevin Gomez, 20, drove away after hitting a 3-year-old pedestrian while pulling from a parking spot on College Point Boulevard near 41st Avenue in Flushing; the official record lists one pedestrian death at 6:40 p.m. on Nov. 29, 2023.
What We Know
A 3-year-old boy was killed on College Point Boulevard near 41st Avenue in Flushing on Nov. 29, 2023. Police told reporters that Kevin Gomez, 20, was pulling a white 2014 Infiniti from a parking spot when the child crossed in front of him, and alleged that Gomez drove away afterward. The boy was taken to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, where he was pronounced dead. Police later found the sedan several blocks away, and Gomez was arrested the next day. Reports identify the child as Quintus Chen in corrected Gothamist coverage; other coverage used different spellings.
Police said a driver pulled from a parking spot as a child crossed
The official crash record lists one pedestrian, a 3-year-old boy, killed on College Point Boulevard at 6:40 p.m. on Nov. 29, 2023. Police told reporters that the driver was pulling away from a parking spot near 41st Avenue in Flushing when the child crossed in front of him.
The Daily News and Gothamist reported that medics took the boy to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, where he could not be saved. Police alleged that the driver did not remain at the scene.
The collision happened on a busy Flushing corridor
Reporters placed the crash on College Point Boulevard near 41st Avenue in Flushing. The Daily News described the street as a busy Queens street, and the official record places the pedestrian outside an intersection while crossing.
The Post reported that the child lived about two blocks from where he was hit. Police later recovered the empty sedan several blocks away on College Point Boulevard, according to press accounts.
Reports identified the child, with spelling differences
Corrected Gothamist coverage identified the child as Quintus Chen and said police had updated the spelling after initially providing inaccurate information. The Post used Quintas Chen, and a Daily News headline used Quintas Chan while its story text referred to Quintus Chen.
The Post quoted the boy’s mother, Karen Ng, describing him as cute and adorable and saying his teachers said he learned fast. Gothamist reported, citing the Daily News, that he had been on his way home from a doctor’s visit with his father.
Police arrested Kevin Gomez the next day
Gothamist noted that New York learner’s permit holders must be accompanied by a licensed driver over 21. The official crash record also lists the driver’s license status as a permit.
Investigators examined visibility, licensing and the driver’s departure
The official crash record lists tinted windows as a contributing factor and says the sedan was starting from parking before the crash. Police accounts in multiple reports focused on the driver’s alleged failure to remain at the scene after the child was hit.
The Daily News reported that prosecutors said Gomez was driving without a license and had a history of reckless driving. Gothamist reported that police said the Highway District Collision Investigation Squad was still looking into the case and that additional charges could depend on the investigation.