A Bellerose man was arrested and booked at the 105th Precinct in Queens Village on Tuesday, May 20, five months after he struck and killed his 78-year-old neighbor with his vehicle at the intersection of Jericho Turnpike and 91st Avenue.
The fatal collision occurred just after 6:40 p.m. on Saturday, December 14, 2024, as Benjamin Jean-Baptiste, 39, of Ontario Road, was behind the wheel of a 2010 Dodge Ram pickup truck traveling northbound on 91st Avenue.
As he attempted to make a left turn onto Jericho Turnpike, he struck a pedestrian, who was attempting to cross Jericho Turnpike just blocks from his home on 91st Street, according to the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad. Jean-Baptiste remained at the scene and was not speeding or driving recklessly when the collision occurred, according to investigators.
Police from the 105th Precinct responded to a 911 call of a vehicle collision involving a pedestrian at the intersection and found the pedestrian on the roadway with trauma to his head. EMS rushed the victim to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, where he was listed in stable condition for injuries to his head. He was later identified as Jose Jiminez, 78, of 91st Street in Bellerose. Jiminez succumbed to his injuries from the collision and was pronounced dead on Dec. 19, 2024.
Pursuant to an ongoing investigation, Jean-Baptiste was arrested Tuesday morning and charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to exercise due care. He was issued a desk appearance ticket and ordered to return to Queens Criminal Court on June 9.
