Street Renamed For Vasean

On Saturday, June 18, 72nd Avenue between 150th Street and 153rd Street in Kew Gardens Hills was named for 11-year-old Vasean Alleyne who was killed there in October, spurring a statewide movement to reform DWI laws.
After learning the driver of the car would be charged with a lesser crime because of a loophole in the current State drunk driving laws, Monique Dixon (center), the mother of Vasean, took her grief and tragedy to Albany. Dixon successfully lobbied the State legislature and the Governor to strengthen the laws and this month, “Vasean’s Law” went into effect.
James Gennaro introduced legislation after the boy’s death to change the street’s name to “Vasean Phillip Alleyne Memorial Avenue,” which added to Dixon’s campaign to strengthen the State’s laws.
“I wanted to recognize and remember the life of Vasean in a very special way and honor the campaign of his mother to strengthen the drunk driving laws and save other mothers from the grief she experienced,” Gennaro said.