A teenager from Long Island was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court Wednesday for leaving the scene of a fatal accident that killed a 16-year-old boy in Astoria on Monday night. (File/Lloyd Mitchell)
April 12, 2023 By Bill Parry
The unlicensed teenage driver from Long Island who allegedly struck and killed a 16-year-old boy in Astoria on Monday night before speeding away was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court Wednesday, April 12, on a charge of leaving the scene of a fatal incident without reporting it.
Yaser Ibrahim, 18, of Levittown, was also issued violations for driving without a license or insurance, speeding and having tinted windows. Ibrahim is facing up to seven years in prison if convicted, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced.
According to the charges, at approximately 9:45 p.m. on April 10, Jaydan McLaurin, from the Ravenswood Houses, was riding an electric Citi Bike through the intersection of 21st Street and 21st Avenue in Astoria when he was struck by a speeding 2022 BMW X7 heading southbound on 21st Street. The driver of the SUV, later identified as Ibrahim, drove away from the scene. The vehicle was located several blocks away from the collision scene with significant front-end damage to the bumper and to the windshield.
EMS responded to the scene and rushed McLaurin to Harlem Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from severe head and body trauma, according to the DA’s office.
According to the charges, Ibrahim admitted to investigators that he was driving the BMW at about 45 to 50 miles per hour when he struck McLaurin. The posted speed limit on 21st Street is 25 miles per hour. He told police he stopped and saw the debris from the Citi Bike, got nervous and left the scene.
Ibrahim could not produce a valid driver’s license or insurance and had only a learner’s permit, according to the DA’s office.
“The rules of the road like speed limits and licensing requirements exist to prevent tragedies like this one,” Katz said. “We will seek justice for the young victim and his loved ones.”
Ibrahim was arraigned before Queens Criminal Court Judge Anthony M. Battisti, who set a return date of June 6. If convicted, Ibrahim faces up to seven years in prison.
