Pedestrian Safety Big Concern In Jackson Heights After Fatality

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The community of Jackson Heights is holding a meeting attended by a slew of elected representatives following a hit and run fatality for which a New York City cab driver of Indian origin has been arrested.

The hit-and-run death was allegedly caused by Dinesh Bhattarai, who was arrested after the incident which took place at the intersection of 37th Avenue and 76th Street in Jackson Heights on the night of Jan. 18. He has been charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk, according to a CBS Local news report.

Police are quoted saying the 45-year old driver Indian-origin driver was making a right turn in his Toyota Rav 4, onto 76th Street around 7:29 p.m. when he hit the victim, Henry Boimel, 67, who was pronounced dead after being taken to Elmhurst Hospital.

At a 115th Precinct Community Council meeting, numerous complaints were voiced by Jackson Heights residents about the need for more policing at that particular intersection, and at 35th and 34th intersections as well, DNAinfo.com reported.

Councilmembers Daniel Dromm, Assemblyman Francisco Mya, and several others were scheduled to hold a town hall meeting Jan. 25 at the Jackson Heights Jewish Center to discuss how to make the intersections safer.

Meanwhile, Bhattarai, who is an Uber driver, was not using the company’s app at the time of the accident, a company spokesperson is reported saying.