The outdoor seating area where the crash took place on Ditmars Boulevard and 35th Street in Astoria. (Photo: Christina Santucci)
April 30, 2021 By Allie Griffin
A reckless driver struck a scooter, plowed into multiple cars and careened into an outdoor dining structure in Astoria last night—killing one man and injuring a woman.
The out-of-control driver, a 60-year-old woman, was allegedly speeding in a 2013 Mercedes Benz C-300 northbound on 35th Street around 7:45 p.m. when she fatally struck a 37-year-old Elmhurst man on a 2019 Yamaha Chappy motorcycle, police said.
Her path of destruction continued on the busy street as she then hit two parked cars on the east side of 35th Street and slammed into an outdoor dining set-up at Rosatoro Restaurant, located on the corner of Ditmars Boulevard. The car finally came to rest inside the dining area.
Flying debris from the dining structure hit a 32-year-old woman who was eating at the restaurant.
Officers responding to the crash found the scooter driver, Xing Lin, unconscious and unresponsive lying in the roadway with severe body trauma. The 32-year-old woman was also in the roadway and suffered trauma to both legs, but was conscious, police said.
EMS rushed both crash victims to Elmhurst Hospital, where the man was pronounced dead. The woman is listed in stable condition, police said.
The driver was also taken to hospital and is in stable condition.
Police have not made any arrests and the investigation remains ongoing.
The outdoor seating area where the crash took place on Ditmars Boulevard and 35th Street in Astoria. (Photo: Christina Santucci)
The outdoor seating area where the crash took place on Ditmars Boulevard and 35th Street in Astoria. (Photo: Christina Santucci)
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43 Comments
At all.
How come the name of the driver has not been released?Who is she?
To quote this article “ A reckless driver struck a scooter, plowed into multiple cars and careened into an outdoor dining structure in Astoria last night—killing one man and injuring a woman.”
I read that due to the cold weather the night of the incident the owner of the restaurant asked customers to eat indoors and not outside. If it had been a warm spring night more people could of been hurt or even killed once the structure was hit. An accident can happen so be careful when dining outside. The same way you should also look both ways when crossing the street so choose your dining space wisely.
We want Justice for Xing Lin!!
Did she just get her driver’s license last week?
I hope someone starts a gofundme page for both of the victims.
She’s wreckfull, not reckless
You shouldn’t be dining on roads where cars and trucks belong.
Don’t blame the victim. This is a one lane street. There is no circumstance for passing another moving car.
Was the car she passed double parked or in motion? Something to think about.
Hope the next mayor makes Open street dining permanent throughout the week not just on the weekends. Ban all cars near outside dining!
What about getting back to eating inside ! Enough is enough , anyone afraid to eat inside , stay home
Most restrictions will be lifted this month. People luv street dining. Its permanent. Its like a street fest everyday.
hmm maybe having a seating area looking like shanty towns a foot a way from moving traffic isnt a good idea.
Restaurants and bars need to add concrete pillars outside. People need to eat outside!
I hope everyone else is okay but I never was a fan of the outdoor dining to begin with. As someone who walks and bikes everywhere those outside structures block your view especially when trying to cross the street or ride your bike through the street and onto the Avenue. Most outside structures added awnings and panels you can not see through with plants which makes it even harder to see.
Katie- No mention of reckless driving. This incident was caused by reckless driving. Nothing else.
The driver should be charged and jailed.
and she should sue the restaurant for negligence for putting up such a structure to block traffic on a busy street.
This is why people shouldn’t be eating on the street next to a busy roadway. At least do away with the street dining structures on every corner where cars make turns. Those corner restaurants have more outside dining space than indoors.
Ria- Take away the dining structure because somebody drives recklessly? Really, that’s a solution to reckless driving? Normally parked cars and pedestrians would be in the space the dining kiosk was occupying, removing the kiosk changes what? It only changes what the reckless driver drove into, recklessly.
Would you be ok with giving home property owners and landlords the right to put picnic tables and eat and drink on the street parking area in front of their homes so they and tenants can use throughout the day and night? Or would that be too dangerous because it would put people at risk from oncoming traffic.
TT- The problem is reckless driving.. Kindly reread the article. “ The out-of-control driver, a 60-year-old woman, was allegedly speeding in a 2013 Mercedes Benz C-300 northbound on 35th Street around 7:45 p.m. when she fatally struck a 37-year-old Elmhurst man on a 2019 Yamaha Chappy motorcycle, police said.
Her path of destruction continued on the busy street as she then hit two parked cars on the east side of 35th Street and slammed into an outdoor dining set-up at Rosatoro Restaurant, located on the corner of Ditmars Boulevard. The car finally came to rest inside the dining area.”
TT- So according to your logic riding a scooter, parking on the street and dining inside a building are all too dangerous and shouldn’t be done…Let us guess, you’re Fox informed.
Some have reported that the driver was having a medical episode and lost control of the car.
At all.
These restaurants are taking up so much space on sidewalks & regular streets.. it’s ridiculous.
Boris – You’re obviously fine with reckless drivers.
I predicted this would happen months ago. A few blocks from where my boyfriend lives, Ditmars is such a busy, narrow street and those ridiculous structures leave no room for error.
What about the reckless drivers? This had nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with the restaurant kiosk. It a case of irresponsible deadly reckless driving. Plain and simple.
PRAY for everyone involved!!!! ??????????????????????
As if restaurants aren’t having a hard enough time getting by… now this.
Typical Astoria drivers speed like demons who don’t stop at stop signs with their used luxury cars … they are true menace of the streets!
I live close to the area and I always see these entitled Karen’s driving like maniacs in their Mercedes looking for parking to get to the hookah bars and overpriced restaurants. Makes me sick!!
More Traffic cops need to be stationed at every outside dining street area. Might as well make use of them since most can no longer prevent crime from happening. perhaps they can just confiscate scooters and give out tickets to drivers.
People need to slow tf down. She was driving a luxury car!!
I agree people should slow down and be careful.
But why the ‘luxury car’ remark? this was a nearly the smallest, lightest Mercedes, a C Class, which is smaller than a Toyota Camry. And if you are going fast in any type of car, the energy levels, mass times velocity, would probably be enough to do some SERIOUS damage to pedestrians, scooters, cyclists, and shoddily constructed outdoor seating areas.
People have no respect for anything anymore.
Prayers for the victim’s family. As an essential worker myself this job is very risky and some people don’t appreciate our hard work and dedication. Too many drivers think they own the streets. And with more restrictions being lifted and smoking weed you have to be more careful.
Not surprised by this at all. Traffic and Pedestrian Safety is a nightmare in Astoria especially with outside dining, Orthodox Easter and Ramadan taking place at the same time.
Helen – Sounds like you should be more concerned with reckless drivers. They’re deadly.
There is a church, mosque, international supermarket and popular sandwich deli on 23 Ave and 35 street before the ditmars location. 35 street also has a bike lane. I know because i always try to avoid that area when i go to Astoria Park. Its a traffic nightmare. And the supermarket parking area on the sidewalk seems so unsafe for pedestrians.