Dec. 10, 2013 By Christian Murray
A 36-year-old off-duty police officer was killed after her car struck a barrier rail and then flipped over and crashed into a vacant store at the base of the Queensboro Bridge this morning, according to police.
Officer Elisa Toro was exiting the bridge in her 2004 Ford Focus at about 1:50 am and stuck a guard rail, then bounced into a cement barrier before flipping over on the passenger side and going through a vacant store at 25-06 Queens Plaza South.
Toro, a 10-year veteran and divorced mother of two who worked out of Manhattan’s 17th Precinct, was pronounced dead on the scene. Nobody else was injured.
Several serious accidents have occurred at this off ramp in recent years—as motorists have had trouble getting off the bridge as they go into Queens.
Two years ago the same store—located at 25-06 Queens Plaza South– was destroyed in a similar crash.
Following those accidents, politicians called on the Department of Transportation to improve traffic safety in the area. The DOT added additional signage and barriers at the time.
However, politicians such as State Sen. Mike Gianaris said in a statement that his request to have the DOT to redesign the exit ramp was ignored.
“How many more people have to die before the DOT understands that the Queensboro Bridge exit ramp must be redesigned?” Gianaris said.
