Child in critical condition after being hit by dirt bike in Queens parking lot

(Anthony Payero/NewsBreak)

By Anthony Payero

(QUEENS, N.Y.) A 4-year-old boy was critically injured after a dirt bike struck him in Queens on Sunday, according to ABC 7 NY.

The child was standing in a parking lot at the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Boathouse where he was injured shortly before 6 p.m.

He was with his parents at the time of the incident when he ran out from in between cars when a dirt biker driving through the lot struck him and kept moving.

"Dirt bikes going back and forth, there was so much going on, we didn't realize somebody got hit until the ambulance came. Kind of messed up, especially for a child to get hit," said Harold Hadalgo, a witness.

The 4-year-old was transported to a local hospital with severe head trauma, per ABC 7.

Last week, locals pushed for a more stringent set of penalties for illegal dirt bikes and ATVs. which are a common sight across the boroughs during the summer months.

"They know there is no enforcement mechanism that they can be chased and they do it blatantly and they do it in front of law enforcement almost intimidating them," said Mark Gjonaj, New York City Council, 13th District.

"We are not allowed to pursue, but the way we get around this is we wait until we see the dirt bike refueling at a gas station," an officer said.

Officials said eight people have died and 350 have been injured in the first quarter of 2021 by illegal bikes.

City Councilman Gjonaj called for penalties to increase to $750 for first-time offenders and $1,500 for second offenses.

Police are actively investigating the incident and no arrests have been made.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or by messaging on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.

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