Oct. 15, 2015 Staff Report
A tractor-trailer driver who struck and killed a bicyclist in Maspeth yesterday has been arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and faces a slew of charges including criminally negligent homicide, according to police.
Dennis Forceri, a 57-year-old from Miller Place in Long Island, struck a 34-year-old Ridgewood woman with his rig at the intersection of 56th Road and 48th Street at 8:45 am, according to the NYPD.
Police discovered the victim, Anna Rodriguez, lying on the roadway with trauma to her head and body at 8:45 am.
Forceri was heading westbound on 56th Road and made a right onto 48th Street, when he stuck Rodriguez, as she was traveling westbound on 56th Road, according to an investigation by the NYPD’s Highway District Collision Investigation Squad.
EMS responded to the scene and transported Rodriguez to Elmhurst General Hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.
Forceri was arrested at the scene, according to police.
He has been charged with: Vehicular Manslaughter 1, Criminally Negligent Homicide, DWAI: Drugs, Aggravated Unlicensed Operator 3, Motor Vehicle Fail to Yield to a Bicycle, Motor Vehicle Violation, Failure to Exercise Due Care.
Maspeth location of incident
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17 Comments
Hi!
Rikki…Shame on you.
I am a bike cyclist myself and consider a good one and your statements aren’t fair.
I was hit by a truck two year ago with a difference I survived and I was sideswipe while he was making turn and he did see me.I had a green light,was on bike lane following all rules of traffic,beautiful sunny day,just perfect.I also was lucky because I had police closing up seen of earlier accident and witness me getting hit and forcing driver to stop.As turned out he had no insurance and license suspended so it was a good thing he hit me because maybe someone else wouldn’t be as lucky.I consider myself making a difference taking person off the road who had no right in doing so.After all we all have responsibly to carry on to a higher standards.
Ana made a difference and it cost her life.Rest in peace Ana.
What a bunch of idiots.. Especially Rikki.. There is a person dead and your arguing. Shut the f**k up!!! Idiot.
well if bike riders weren’t so stupid, we could save a lot of lives or injuries……
my bet is she tried to out run the truck and lost big time..
Didn’t SP post something about someone getting struck by a car because he was on his bike going the wrong direction around sunnyside? and These cops in sunnyside are more concerned about giving tickets to driver instead of worring about the break in on 45 th
Did you hear that everybody? Rikki’s bet is that 34-year-old Anna on a bicycle tried to outrun a semi truck being driven by a cocaine soaked driver. Rikki also bets that this coked up truck driver with a revoked license used his turn signal and made an attempt to look for obstacles in his mirrors before making the turn. Rikki, let’s go to Las Vegas since you seem so good at betting. We could make millions.
Motor Vehicle Fail to Yield to a Bicycle………..this one bothers me they were both traveling west on the same road, so how can you yield if you cant see the bike?
Maybe it helps not to be high? And who said he didn’t see her? From the pictures I’ve seen, he ran her down, didn’t side swipe her or turn into her which means he came up from behind her. It’s very unlikely he didn’t see her, or at least a sober driver would have seen her and down the rational thing which would be to slow down and yield….
Rikki, your victim blaming makes me sick. You think the truck driver used his right turn signal? Is that what what you assume? That high on cocaine, this Dennis Forceri, in his truck, activated his right turn signal and proceeded to turn right with caution? Meanwhile daredevil Anna Rodriguez ignored the turn signal and tried to beat the semi? I don’t think so. This truck driver shouldn’t have been on the road. Anna would be alive otherwise.
i am not blaming the victim, yet, bike riders to me ask for it sometimes, you cant slow down or stop at an intersection, you think you are the only ones on the road and we should bow to you.
sorry it works both ways. she could have had headphones on and wasn’t
paying attention…… yes he was high and should be arrested, but again i think a straight driver might have hit her too….
While I blame no one it is also up to bicyclists to obey traffic rules or had that changed. I see them on sidewalks going on opposite direction of traffic I have stepped of churn to cross n bikes keep coming disregarding the lights. So I understand no one should every have to b killed but I also understand they should b aware of themselves as well as pedestrians. Take a walk in Williamsburg see how many civilians escape being hit by bikes. I’m not heartless just staying facts no one should drink or do Dia n drove. It was heartless n senseless loss of a life
I love it everybody is a lawyer. Right wrong indiffer a accident happened. And everybody blames everybody there are 2 sides to a story and somewhere is the truth. You people need to worry about your self and let the 2 families have peace.
again if the driver was sober he still would have hit her because she didn’t stop at 48th st and let the truck make that right turn
think about it the truck driver did not see the bike rider in his side mirror so she just pedaled along oblivious to his right turn signal
Ive seen this so many times…so many near misses, so bike riders if you see a truck with the right signal blinking how about stopping at the corner? it might save your life.
did you read his charges they should execute him i’m a truck driver an we are held to higher standards an anyway he was on druges let me know how you would feel if it was your daughter NO MERCY
like i said i see too many idiot bicyclists daily …i have respect for truck drivers, but if you cant see the bike in your side mirrors…..well
yes he was high…but i think a straight driver just might have hit her as well if the sun was in his eyes…..
we need to teach bike riders about driving a car or truck that would eliminate a lot of these accidents.
Does your idiotic logic apply to pedestrians crossing the street as well? It is completely incumbent on the driver to be sure it is safe to turn. Just when I think you can’t get any dumber you outdo yourself. You must have eaten a lot of lead paint chips as a child.
doc do you drive? ive been since i was 18 put on over 500,000 in my lifetime i love to drive have safe drivers, drive to cali 3 times….and through mexico and canada….
But i know one day someone on a bike or one of those Spanish ladies pushing their kids yapping on the phone totally oblivious they are jaywalking and POW….
God give her rest and her family consolation. And God help the driver. He is obviously not in good shape.