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Skateboarder Run Over on Eastern Parkway

NY Daily News

A 25-year-old skateboarder died after he was hit by two motorists in Brooklyn early Wednesday, police sources and a witness said.

The man, who was described by witnesses as African-American but has not yet been identified, was first struck at the corner of Eastern Parkway and Rochester Ave. in Crown Heights just after 2:30 a.m. The impact sent the victim flying onto Eastern Parkway, where police sources and a witness said he was then hit by another motorist. Both drivers fled, sources said.

The victim was rushed to Kings County Hospital in critical condition.

Police are looking for the drivers of the two vehicles, identified by a witness as a burgundy Mercury minivan with front-end damage and a white Acura sedan with damage to the under carriage.

The man was eastbound on his skateboard on the walkway that separates the local and express lanes that divide Eastern Parkway when he was hit at high speed as he crossed Rochester Ave. in the crosswalk, sources and witnesses said. His skateboard, with the letters “YURP” spray painted on the top, lay in the crosswalk near the curb.

Sources and a witness told the Daily News that the driver the minivan was trying to beat a red light as the vehicle sped up Rochester Ave. northbound toward Eastern Parkway.

The witness, who lives in the area and would only give his name as Tyrone, said the impact was horrific.

“It threw him into the middle of the street. I saw the guy flying,” Tyrone said, “This just ruined my morning. I can’t even go to sleep right now.”

Tyrone said the driver barely slowed down and fled westbound in the local lane of Eastern Parkway, toward Utica Ave. He said it was only moments later that the man was struck a second time as he lay in the middle of Eastern Parkway.

“I was about to chase the van so I could see the plates and then here comes another car, a white Acura, and it rolled over him and just kept on going,“ he said. Tyrone said the Acura was heading east and had a green light.

Tyrone said the man appeared to be hurt but conscious after being slammed by the minivan, but the second impact left him lifeless.

”He was moving at first, but when the second car rolled over him, he stopped moving. He was completely still,” he said.

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14 Comments

  • Say what now?

    “Tyrone said, ‘This just ruined my morning. I can’t even go to sleep right now.’” Yep, YOUR morning was the one that was ruined.

  • Dan L-Kaf Zechus

    I am very careful when I drive at night in certain neighborhoods because it is hard to see some of the residents when it is dark at night. It is quite possible that neither of the drivers even saw the skateboarder. Be dan l’kaf zechus!!

  • Rikki

    eastern parkway is just downright dangerous whether its 11am or 2 am it doesnt matter.

  • Rush

    Second skateboarder this year :( hopefully I didn’t know him but it’s still sad been if I don’t know him .. That could of been any of us skaters .

  • l.i. sk8r

    i feel for his family this is terrible but when i die i hope its on my board !

  • leelee

    some drivers have no regard for human life! slow down people if you do not pay attention while speeding through a busy neighborhood you are a murderer!!