By Ivan Pereira
Community leaders and elected officials are sending their support to Community Board 12’s district manager following a collision last week that left her hospitalized for days.
Yvonne Reddick was taken out of the intensive care unit at Jamaica Hospital and listed in stable condition Tuesday morning after four days of treatment for serious injuries, according to hospital officials.
Reddick, who has held the position with the board for 17 years, was in a cab on the way to work last Thursday morning when it was struck by a BMW SUV at the corner of 110th Avenue and 155th Street in Jamaica, a law enforcement source said.
The district manager, who was in the back seat of the cab, was ejected from the vehicle and landed on the street, according to the source. The driver of the SUV did not own the vehicle and escaped the scene, the police source said.
He was still on the loose as of press time Tuesday, according to the source.
State Assemblyman William Scarborough (D-St. Albans), who preceded Reddick as CB 12 district manager, said he and the rest of the southeast Queens community has been praying for a full and quick recovery.
“I feel a bond with her and am very concerned,” he said.
Reddick suffered broken ribs, a lacerated liver and hip damage, the police source said. Her family could not be reached for comment as of press time Tuesday.
Members of the board, which oversees the neighborhoods of Jamaica, Hollis, St. Albans, Springfield Gardens, Baisley Park, Rochdale Village, and South Jamaica, could not disclose who will take care of her responsibilities while she recuperates.
“She’s going to be OK, but she will be out for a while,” one board member said of Reddick.
City Councilmen Ruben Wills (D-Jamaica), a former board member, and Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans) paid Reddick a visit at the hospital over the weekend and found her in good spirits, according to Wills’ spokeswoman.
She has been a board member for more than 26 years and worked as a community activist long before she was appointed to the board, according to Scarborough. While the assemblyman was district manager from 1984 to 94, she served as his assistant district manager.
During her tenure as district manager, Reddick has guided the board through several community developments, including the construction of the AirTrain project, the rezoning of the downtown commercial area and the foreclosure crisis.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
