New York State Attorney General Letitia James has launched an investigation into a fatal crash in North Corona last week that involved an off-duty NYPD officer.
Her Office of Special Investigation (OSI) is probing the collision that killed a 36-year-old NYSDOT contractor standing on the shoulder of the Grand Central Parkway between exits 9 and 10 at around 10:14 a.m. on Wednesday, April 26.
The civilian was inspecting a wall when he was struck by a vehicle driven by an off-duty police officer heading eastbound. He lost control of the vehicle and entered the construction zone setting off a chain reaction where he crashed into another vehicle that struck the contractor. The officer has not been identified by the Attorney General’s office or the NYPD.
The victim, who also was not identified, was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where he was declared dead a short time later. The off-duty cop was also taken to the same hospital for treatment for minor injuries.
The probe by the Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation is procedural pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, in which OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death or a civilian, “by an act or omission.”
If OSI’s probe indicates an officer caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.
