Coney Island, Brooklyn, NYC.
Photo: Fernando Martínez / Impremedia
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A man was fatally struck by a New York City Parks Department truck while sleeping on Brooklyn’s famous Coney Island beach.
The unidentified man, believed to be in his 40s, was lying in the sand, apparently unconscious or asleep, around 2:50 a.m. Monday when the department’s vehicle, a Ford F250, fatally struck him while exiting by Stillwell Ave. and Riegelmann Boardwalk, detailed Gothamist.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Parks Department truck remained at the scene and no wrongdoing was initially suspected. The New York Police Department’s Collision Investigation Squad is continuing to investigate the incident. New York Post.
Coney Island is a legendary tourist destination in New York, especially during the summer. It is unclear why the man was lying in the sand, whether he had lain down or had a medical episode. The Mayor makes a regular overnight sand cleaning to remove garbage. “This is a horrible tragedy,” said Meghan Lalor, a spokeswoman for the Parks Department. “We are investigating the incident internally.”
In addition to gun violencetraffic accidents are another big challenge for the new mayor Eric Adams, after a dismal legacy from his predecessor, Bill De Blasio. New York City has experienced a 35% increase in traffic accidents so far this year, stated NYPD in mid-April. At the end of that month there was a tragic streak in NYC at an average of one person killed by a run over every day.
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