You are reading

Truck Driver With Suspended License Kills Cyclist in Sunnyside Wednesday: NYPD

A bicyclist was killed by the driver of a box truck at the intersection of 47th Street and 47th Avenue Wednesday (Google)

Nov. 4, 2021 By Christian Murray (Updated)

A bicyclist was fatally struck by the driver of a box truck in Sunnyside Wednesday, police said.

Qiang Tu, 58, of Forest Hills, was riding his bicycle westbound on 47th Avenue at around 8:35 a.m. when he was struck by a box truck driver who was traveling on 47th Avenue in the same direction and hit him while turning onto 47th Street.

The trucker was driving with a suspended license.

The police were called to the scene and discovered Tu unconscious and unresponsive with severe injuries. He was transported to NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst where he was pronounced dead.

The driver, 33-year-old Shakai Waye of Newark, NJ, remained on the scene but was arrested and charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operator. He was driving a 2015 Freightliner M21 Box Truck at the time of the crash.

The bike advocacy group Transportation Alternatives issued a statement condemning the mayor for the crash.

“Qiang Tu’s life could have been saved if Mayor de Blasio prioritized people over parking,” said Juan Restrepo, Senior Organizer and Queens Organizer at Transportation Alternatives.

“While there is a bike boulevard and three different protected bike lanes north of Queens Boulevard, the southern section of Sunnyside only has sharrows and painted bike lanes, offering no protection to residents commuting through the area. This area needs a comprehensive safety plan that will provide protected bike lanes connecting to the Kosciuszko Bridge, along the industrial corridor, and through popular bike thoroughfares like 47th Avenue. Saving lives should come before saving parking spots.”

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Southeast Queens leaders endorse Mark Levine for NYC comptroller

Apr. 17, 2025 By Athena Dawson

Cook cited Levine’s experience and problem-solving skills as a reason for her vote of confidence. “Mark is the clear choice to be our City’s next comptroller, and I am proud to back him today and every day. He has the experience and creative problem-solving skills to tackle some of our city’s most pressing issues while protecting New Yorkers from the dangers of Trump and the federal government,”  she shared in a statement. 

Op-ed: The power of representation in healthcare

Apr. 17, 2025 By Dr. Ifeanyi Oguagha

As physicians of color at Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center (JPAFHC), we regularly witness how representation in healthcare can save lives. Our patients – who, like us, are predominantly people of color – walk through our doors not only with medical concerns but also often carrying the weight of generations of inequities that have shaped their health outcomes.