What you should know
- A school crossing guard who was fatally struck by a dump truck in Queens in October was posthumously promoted Thursday during an NYPD ceremony.
- School crossing guard Krystyna Naprawa was posthumously awarded the rank of Community Coordinator.
- Naprawa, 63, was on duty near the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard in the Woodhaven neighborhood on Oct. 20, 2023, and had just helped five people cross the busy street when, moments later, she was struck by the truck making a right turn shortly after 8 a.m., killing her instantly.
NEW YORK — A school crossing guard who was fatally struck by a dump truck in Queens in October was posthumously promoted Thursday during an NYPD ceremony.
School crossing guard Krystyna Naprawa was posthumously awarded the rank of Community Coordinator. Naprawa, 63, was on duty near the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard in the Woodhaven neighborhood on Oct. 20, 2023, and had just helped five people cross the busy street when, moments later, she was struck by the truck making a right turn shortly after 8 a.m., killing her instantly.
“She always said she was happy doing her job, she loved kids,” said local resident Stephanie Peppel. “She hugged us and told everyone to be careful, she was always worried about my family.”
The driver of the dump truck remained at the scene and was later arrested, while Hector Yepes, 39, was charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to exercise due care. He was not detained by the police.
Visibility was poor throughout New York City on the morning of the tragic incident due to rainy and cloudy conditions, although it was unclear if the weather played any role.
Naprawa, who moved to the United States from Poland, served as a New York City Police crossing guard for 13 years. Officers escorted his body for a dignified transfer to the city medical examiner’s office.
Although Naprawa loved her job, a friend said she also expressed concern about being ignored by reckless drivers.
Naprawa is the first New York City school traffic guard to die while on duty in 2023, according to her union.
Naprawa’s promotion took place during a ceremony at One Police Plaza attended by family, friends and colleagues. Additionally, in addition to announcing his promotion, NYPD executives also announced enhanced training, the distribution of new safety equipment, and updated policies and procedures for the police department’s more than 2,200 school traffic wardens.
2024-02-22 23:32:09
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