NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Police arrested a 68-year-old unlicensed driver after he struck an 11-year-old boy in Queens on Thursday, leaving him in critical condition, authorities said.
The collision happened at approximately 2:40 p.m. at the intersection of Lefferts Boulevard and Rockaway Boulevard in South Ozone Park.
Nasser Essa was driving his vehicle eastbound on Rockaway Boulevard when he struck the boy as he was crossing northbound on Lefferts Boulevard, according to officials.
EMS transported the boy to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in critical condition.
Essa was taken into police custody at the scene.
His charges include leaving the scene and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
It comes after city officials just announced a plan to make crosswalks safer, including the redesign of 1,000 intersections and widespread enforcement of a new rule for drivers, following the deadliest year for pedestrians in almost a decade.
Last year saw the most traffic deaths in the city since the Vision Zero traffic safety effort began nearly a decade ago. There were 122 pedestrians killed on city roads—the majority of them hit by drivers making turns onto crosswalks.
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