Astoria Musician Arturo Flores Killed by Van Driver

Arturo Flores, a Queens musician who played Andean wind instruments, was struck and killed by a van this Tuesday while biking in Astoria. Reports of his death have appeared in a local message board, neighborhood blogs, and a Peruvian music blog. Conventional news coverage has not surfaced online, but a sparse account appeared in the print edition of the Daily News:

A bicyclist was struck and killed on a Queens street by a van early yesterday morning, police said.

The unidentified 35 year old man was hit on 23rd street in Astoria around 1 a.m. by a Dodge Caravan, said police.  The van’s driver will not face charges.

The crash actually occurred at 23rd Avenue and 27th Street. Streetsblog has a request in to NYPD for more details on the circumstances of the crash.

Flores, 35, was born in Peru and often busked with Andean bands in the subway. One commenter on a local blog remembers his talents:

Arturo Flores, as a longtime member of the band Inca Son, played on
some of the most prestigious stages in this country. He was a brilliant
musician who could play the Andean flutes like nobody else I’ve ever
heard. He did traditional tunes but could also improvise. He could even
replicate complex rock melodies like “Stairway to Heaven” on the quena.

A wake was held for Flores last night. His death is the second stark reminder we’ve seen this month of how much traffic violence goes unreported in the press.