New York, NY — December 28, 2023, a scooter rider was killed after a semi-truck hit-and-run accident at around 6:15 a.m. on Northern Boulevard.

Authorities said that the accident occurred at the intersection of Northern Boulevard and Parsons Boulevard.

According to officials, a man was riding an e-scooter at the time when a tractor-trailer making a left turn hit the man. That truck then continued driving and left the scene. The scooter rider reportedly sustained a head injury and ultimately died at the scene. The victim has not yet been publicly identified.

Police describe the truck they're looking for as red truck pulling a trailer, and it appears to have Maine license plates. Potential charges are pending as authorities continue to search for the driver.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

One thing that jumped out in the coverage of this story is the people who are making excuses for the truck driver or even blaming the the scooter rider. There's quote floating around from an official suggesting that maybe the truck driver didn't even know he hit someone. That seems to be wishful thinking on his part. How can we know what the driver knew before authorities track the driver down? There are countless examples of drivers hitting someone, panicking, and taking off. That's an equally plausible explanation at this point.

The news reporter also saw fit to quote someone banging the drum for e-scooter licensing and mandatory helmet laws for e-scooter riders. This misses the point that everyone, especially turning vehicles have a duty to keep a proper lookout for pedestrians. I get that some people have a problem with e-scooters, but when another driver, one subject to licensing and training, hits someone on a scooter and then flees the scene it's probably not the best time to make that point. Perhaps the authorities and looky-loo's could think about the victim's relatives and what they're going through.