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Van Driver Who Killed Teen On Queens Sidewalk Blames Spilled Milk, Says Source
By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 12, 2013
Modified Mar 12, 2013
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By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 12, 2013
Modified Mar 12, 2013
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The horrifying crash in Long Island City that left one teen dead and sent four other pedestrians to the hospital yesterday morning was caused by spilled milk, according to one police source, who also tells WPIX 11 that the driver, Mohamad Keita, was speeding in excess of 35 mph. The unidentified driver of the dark red Dodge Caravan lost control of the vehicle shortly after 10:30 a.m. and drove up onto the sidewalk near LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, Queens. The police source says the driver is attributing the wreck to spilled milk, and a witness says he immediately got out and started apologizing.
”He get out from the car and say, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, that’s it," the witness tells WPIX 11, adding that the van, which had North Carolina plates, seemed to come out of nowhere. "We didn’t hear any brakes. No noise for the breaks." Another witness tells the Times, "A group of students waited at the cross signal and this car came very fast. And when I looked, I found three people on the floor and two people on the top of the car.”
The crash killed Drudak Tenzin, 16, and sent four other pedestrians to Elmhurst Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition. The four injured pedestrians are all students at LaGuardia Community College. Another student, Branden Gonzalez, tells the Post he barely survived. "I was waiting here with about 10 other students to cross the street, and I had my headphones on really loud so I couldn’t hear anything. But I had this feeling, something told me to step back. Next thing I know... Boom! Everything in front of me gone, smashed."
Despite a police source's assessment that the driver was speeding, Keita does not currently face any criminal charges, merely a summons for driving without insurance.
Tagged
long island city
queens
teen killed
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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