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Pedestrian Fatally Crushed Between Two Parked Cars After One Vehicle Is Started Remotely
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Dec 11, 2019
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Obituary
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Dec 11, 2019
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A 21-year-old was crushed to death by an empty Lexus last week after the vehicle's owner started it remotely, police said Wednesday.
Michael Kosanovich, a New Jersey native, was standing between two parked 2002 Lexus IS300s in South Jamaica on Friday evening when one of the cars was "accidentally started by remote," according to a preliminary investigation. Authorities believe that the remote feature somehow caused the car to roll forward, pinning Kosanovich between the two vehicles on 148th Street.
Several bystanders managed to push the car backwards, police said, but "in the course of doing so, the vehicle rolled forward once again and pinned the pedestrian between the two vehicles once more."
Kosanovich was rushed to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and was pronounced dead the following day.
According to an obituary, the victim worked at Barclay Environmental in Edison, New Jersey. "A graduate of Sayreville War Memorial High School he loved skateboarding and riding ATV's and dirt bikes," it reads.
No arrests have been made, and it's unclear whether police have spoken to the driver who remotely turned on the car.
As Streetsblog points out, the company appears aware of a potential "life-threatening" situation caused by the remote start feature. An owner's manual cautions: “NEVER remotely start the engine if you are unaware of the circumstances surrounding the vehicle as it may cause a life-threatening situation for those located in the vehicle’s vicinity.”
It's unclear why the car would have rolled forward, since the remote system is not supposed to work unless the vehicle has been placed in park.
"I've never heard of this happening before," a police spokesperson told Gothamist.
Multiple inquiries to Lexus were not returned.
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Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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