By Patrick Donachie
A man who police initially suspected was killed after being hit by a car in Laurelton was actually the victim of a homicide, according to the commanding officer of the Queens precinct that responded.
Officers from the 105th Precinct responded to calls that a man was found with serious injuries, including broken arms and a broken neck, according Jeffrey Schiff, the commanding officer of the 105th. He said the man, whose identity was not released, was found at 9:19 a.m. in front of an address near the intersection of 223rd Street and 135th Avenue in Laurelton. The man, who was found next to a bicycle, was taken to Franklin General Hospital in Valley Stream, L.I., and pronounced dead on arrival.
At first, police believed the bicyclist had been hit by a car, which the EMS workers who responded also believed, and it was assumed the car fled the scene. However, according to the commanding officer, a subsequent investigation revealed the man was a murder victim. Further details were not revealed.
The commanding officer said NYPD officers have leads into the perpetrator’s identity, but were not yet sure about a motive. The murder is the precinct’s second of the year, according to the commanding officer.
Police sources said the death was still under investigation.
Reach reporter Patrick Donachie by e-mail at pdona
