Photo: Unsplash (Courtesy of Bill Oxford)
July 22, 2021 By Allie Griffin
Police have nabbed the hit-and-run biker who crashed into a four-year-old boy in Flushing Meadows Corona Park Sunday.
Officers cuffed 29-year-old Argenis Rivas, of Whitestone, on a series of charges including assault and leaving the scene of an accident Wednesday—after a TikTok video tipped them off.
Rivas reportedly posted a video to TikTok showing off his scrapes from the crash and blaming the four-year-old and his parents.
“No, it’s not my fault. It’s the kid’s fault. I tried to brake fast,” he said in Spanish in the video, according to the New York Daily News. “And it’s the parents’ fault because they weren’t paying attention to their son. He just came out of nowhere and you can’t really do anything.”
Rivas was allegedly speeding on an illegal motorized bike in the parking lot of the Flushing Meadow Boathouse Sunday when he struck the child at about 5:45 p.m. He raced off from the scene of the crash, despite knocking the boy unconscious, police said.
The child was rushed to Flushing Hospital with injuries to his head and torso. He was later transferred to Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center, where his condition is improving, but remains critical, NYPD officials said Tuesday.
Rivas was arrested on charges of assault, reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident with injury, acting in a manner injurious to a child, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, operating an unregistered motorcycle and operating a motor vehicle without a license.
The NYPD had offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who could provide information that would lead to an arrest in the case.
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19 Comments
Well actually he’s right. Parents must always be cognizant of their children’s activities and whereabouts. I hold my children’s and grandchildren’s hands whenever I am outdoors.
Bertha- Allow me to finish your thought..” always be cognizant of their children’s activities and whereabouts” so criminals can engage in their law breaking activities like driving without a license, operating a motor vehicle in an illegal manor and leaving the scene of an accident without being interfered with.
This was in a parking lot. The place where motor vehicles are supposed to be moving.
It’s not the place for people to be chilling.
This is what happens when you let thousands of hooligans ride around illegally on dirtbikes and 4 wheelers with no repercussions whatsoever. They’re not going to stop doing it until they crackdown hard on these idiots.
suspect is 29, a gang member and running around on a dirt bike. Real benefit to the city.
“It’s the kid’s fault”, says the unlicensed, uninsured motorist.
But since he’s 4, the parent’s fault.
It’s gotten way out of control they are electric scooters dirt bikes even motorcycles riding on the sidewalk and the streets with no insurance no registrations not even license plates. If the police would have put a stop to this earlier instead of kneeling for photo ops last summer it would have never gotten out of hand, giving them a fine and destroying the bikes is not doing enough start giving them mandatory jail sentences.
Parents do have to share some responsibility because in a broadcast i saw on tv it was said the boy darted into the street between two parked cars so yes the guy is at fault for riding an illegal dirt bike but what if it was a legal motorcycle with license plates an insurance and everything completely legal that boy would still be in the hospital because the parents let him dart out into the street between parked cars.
Maria – Technically, the boy would have darted into an empty street if the illegal dirt bike wasn’t on the scene.
Nowadays certain people were helped to develop and believe a sense of not taking responsibility and blaming others for there unlawful actions. Suspects acting like victims. And it works. No law, no justice. Pray that it doesn’t happen to you.
Buying and owning a car is so expensive and parking is hard to find. that is why everyone is using scooters, bikes, dirt bikes etc. this will be a problem until we give cars away to poor people or make everyone get insurance and have license plates.
Give cars away? How about TAKE THE SUBWAY…like most people.
He missed law school 101 ” You have the right to remain silent”. When he gets out someone please purchase him all the episodes from Law and Order.
It was both their faults, no lie. The motorcyclist and the parents. Watch ya kids instead of smoking hookah or drinking in Flushing Meadows. You know that’s where the meets and all go down. Ofc there’s bikers around. Speedy Recovery to the baby boy.
Not sure how true this is…But i heard from a friend that the suspect did try to stay on the scene but the family started attacking him and he fled. he was in danger and was also scared that he was going to be attacked by the police.
I’m Very Sorry That This Happened!!! But With These Children; Now These Days, Your Eyeballs Need “2” SPLIT!!!! These Kids Are Very Very “SWIFT” We Parents Must “Be” More RESPONSIBLE!” That’s All It Take: But “A” Split Second!!!!! Pray “4” This Young Boys Recovery!!!! FACTZ
When are the police gonna stop all these illegal dirt bikes. they are everywhere causing havoc ???
“Police Cuff Hit-and-Run Biker Who Crashed Into 4-Year-Old in Flushing Meadows Corona Park” Great headline! I am sure we are all glad to know cops didn’t brutally beat him, tase him or shoot him. That what important here.