A man killed in Queens over the weekend was at least the fourth pedestrian in 2012 to die in Peter Koo's City Council district, and at least the fourth pedestrian fatality in the 109th Precinct this year. All four crashes were hit-and-runs.
Dante Dominguez, a 45-year-old father of three, was struck by the driver of a black BMW at the intersection of 41st Avenue and Union Street in Flushing on Friday at approximately 11:20 p.m., according to reports. The driver fled the scene.
Dominguez lived upstate and was visiting family, friends told the Post. He was described as "a great artist, extremely talented, humble, funny and cool."
Less than two weeks before Dominguez's death, 76-year-old Victor Florio was killed on Booth Memorial Avenue by a motorist who ran from the scene on foot but was later apprehended. In March, a hit-and-run driver took the life of an unidentified 65-year-old man at 149th Street and 45th Avenue. The MTA bus driver who struck 22-year-old Meilan Jin at Northern Boulevard and Union Street in February did not stop.
Council Member Koo is a fan of public plazas, but he hasn't had much to say about traffic-calming during his first term, except to declare his opposition to bike lanes, which can improve safety for all street users. To encourage Koo to take action to improve street safety in his district and citywide, which could include lending his vocal support to the Crash Investigation Reform Act, contact him at 212-788-7022 or pkoo@council.nyc.gov. You can also awaken his dormant Twitter account @PeterKoo2009.
The 109th Precinct made headlines in 2009 when an officer driving at high speed slammed into a pedestrian on Queens Boulevard, a suspicious crash that NYPD pinned on the victim. To voice your concerns about neighborhood traffic safety directly to Brian J. Maguire, the precinct's commanding officer, go to the next community council meeting. The 109th Precinct council meetings happen at 7:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month at the precinct. Call the precinct at (718) 321-2268 for information.
