Driver charged years after Ridgewood hit-and-run killed Be Tran
At about 7:40 p.m. on Aug. 14, 2022, an eastbound BMW SUV driver killed 74-year-old pedestrian Be Tran on Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood; police later said Florin Stoian fled the country after the hit-and-run.
What We Know
Be Tran, a 74-year-old pedestrian and food delivery worker, was killed on Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood at about 7:40 p.m. on Aug. 14, 2022. The official crash record lists an eastbound BMW SUV going straight ahead, with unsafe speed recorded for the crash and driver inattention or distraction listed for the vehicle. News reports said Tran was crossing Myrtle Avenue when a hit-and-run driver in a black BMW hit him. In 2026, police and prosecutors identified Florin Stoian as the accused driver, said he had fled abroad, and returned him to Queens on charges including manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene, arson and reckless driving.
A hit-and-run on Myrtle Avenue
Be Tran was killed at about 7:40 p.m. on Aug. 14, 2022, on Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood. The official record identifies him as a 74-year-old pedestrian and lists one person killed, with no other injuries recorded.
QNS reported the day after the crash that a hit-and-run driver in a black BMW was traveling east on Myrtle Avenue and that Tran was pronounced dead at the scene. ABC7 later reported that Tran was making his final delivery of the night when he was hit.
The records differ on the exact crossing point
The official crash record places the fatal collision on Myrtle Avenue and describes Tran as crossing away from an intersection. QNS, citing police, reported that he was attempting to cross at Myrtle Avenue and Hancock Street.
The BMW was tied to speed and inattention in the record
The official vehicle entry describes a BMW SUV traveling east and going straight ahead before impact, with damage to the center front end. The crash record lists unsafe speed as a contributing factor, and the vehicle record also lists driver inattention or distraction.
The Post reported that prosecutors described the vehicle as a rented black BMW X6 and said the accused driver left the scene, later set the BMW on fire, and damaged several buildings.
Tran was remembered by family as they waited for an arrest
ABC7 identified Tran as a 74-year-old DoorDash delivery driver. The Post reported that his relatives had waited more than three years for the accused driver to be brought back to New York.
Hong Tran, identified by The Post as Be Tran's brother, said, "I want justice for my brother." He added, "You hit someone in an accident, you stop. You should stay there and tell the police what happened."
A suspect was returned to Queens in 2026
ABC7 reported that police identified Florin Stoian as the suspect, said he fled through Michigan and Canada and was later arrested in Germany, and said he was returned to New York in February 2026. ABC7 reported that a judge denied bail.
The Post reported that Stoian was charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, assault, arson, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, criminal mischief, reckless driving and tampering with physical evidence. The Post also reported that his lawyer told reporters Stoian was innocent and expressed condolences to the family.