Teen driver charged after Bed-Stuy crash kills 4-year-old
At about 5 p.m. on Nov. 7, 2023, a 16-year-old driver going east on Atlantic Avenue near Brooklyn Avenue crashed into an elevated subway pillar, police said; the official record lists one 4-year-old passenger killed and two motorists injured.
What We Know
Police said a 16-year-old was driving a 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 pickup east on Atlantic Avenue near Brooklyn Avenue at about 5 p.m. on Nov. 7, 2023, when he crashed into a pillar for an elevated subway line. The official record lists one 4-year-old passenger killed and two motorists injured; Patch, citing police, identified the child as Giovanni Quiles and reported that he died weeks later at Maimonides Medical Center. Police said the teen driver was arrested on charges including endangering the welfare of a child, driving without a license, and having either alcohol or marijuana in the car. The official crash record lists driver inattention or distraction, and the vehicle record also lists driver inexperience and unsafe speed.
Police said a teen driver hit an elevated subway pillar
Police said the 16-year-old driver was heading east on Atlantic Avenue near Brooklyn Avenue in a 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 pickup at about 5 p.m. when he crashed into a pillar for an elevated subway train. The official record places the crash at Atlantic Avenue and Brooklyn Avenue and lists the pickup as going straight ahead before impact.
Giovanni Quiles died after weeks in hospital care
The official record lists the person killed as a 4-year-old rear-seat passenger. Patch, citing police, identified him as Giovanni Quiles and reported that he was transferred to Maimonides Medical Center, where he died weeks after the crash. Police said three children in the pickup were taken to hospitals, and the official record lists two motorists injured.
Police announced charges; official records list driver factors
Police said the teen driver was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, driving without a license, and having either alcohol or marijuana in the car. The official crash record lists driver inattention or distraction as a contributing factor, while the vehicle record lists driver inexperience and unsafe speed. The official vehicle record lists the driver's license status as a New York permit, while police, according to Patch, said he was charged with driving without a license.
Atlantic Avenue has a heavy crash history in Brooklyn
The crash was recorded at Atlantic Avenue and Brooklyn Avenue in Brooklyn's 11216 ZIP code. CrashCountNYC's Atlantic Avenue corridor context for Brooklyn counts 4,096 crashes, 2,408 injuries, 109 serious injuries, and 10 deaths since 2022.
The investigation remained open after the child's death
Patch reported that authorities were still investigating the crash after police announced Giovanni Quiles's death and the teen driver's arrest.