Local Man Killed in Collision With Overpass
By Katie McFadden
On Monday, March 18, a man lost his life after crashing into the overpass on Beach Channel Drive near Riis Park.
At around 11:35 a.m., first responders responded to a vehicle collision at the intersection of Rockaway Beach Boulevard and Beach Channel Drive, within the confines of the 100th Precinct. A silver Subaru hatchback that had been traveling eastbound on Beach Channel Drive had burst into flames after colliding with an overpass beam. The unconscious 39-year-old male driver was removed from the vehicle by FDNY and transported by EMS to NYC Health and Hospitals/ Kings County, where he was pronounced deceased.
According to an NYPD spokesperson, the deceased driver has been identified as Daniel King of Beach 96th Street. His family was notified. The NYPD Highway District Collision Investigation Squad continues to investigate the incident.
On Monday, locals were speculating about possible causes of the crash. On social media discussions, many pointed out a massive pothole in the right lane heading toward Rockaway Beach Blvd., before the split under the overpass. “My son hit it the other night in the dark on his way home from work. Bent his rim in half,” one resident said on Facebook. “We lost a tire and rim to that pothole last week,” another said. “Last week, two cars got flat tires and were parked where the cop truck is. Maybe he hit the pothole, and his car went out of control and hit the underpass,” another speculated. Others mentioned the possibility of traveling at high speeds on the curved road.
It is unclear what caused the crash at this time, as it is still under investigation, but by late Tuesday morning, March 19, the large pothole that many reported, was filled in.
