A 26-year-old Long Island man died in a violent accident on a New York City boardwalk when the motorcycle on which he was riding passenger veered out of control and slammed into a bench, then a pedestrian, flipping him over the top, cops said Tuesday.
David Molina, of Cedarhurst, has been identified as the victim in Monday's 3 p.m. crash on Rockaway Beach Boardwalk at Beach 47 Street. He was a passenger on a 2022 Qipai Hunier Dirt Bike that cops say a 25-year-old man was illegally driving on the boardwalk. It's not clear what happened, but at some point, the driver lost control and the motorcycle slammed into a bench.
The impact flung Molina over the top of the motorcycle, which proceeded to hit a 55-year-old pedestrian, according to police. Molina was sent flying into a bench, and suffered severe head injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The pedestrian was taken to a hospital with minor head injuries, while the motorcycle driver ran away from the scene, authorities say.
The family of Molina said that he had been picked up at his house by a friend riding the dirt bike — even though his mother had previously advised him against getting on the bike with his friend. A cousin of Molina's said that his mother is traumatized and in shock since the deadly incident.
No one seems to know exactly who the person was driving the motorcycle, however. Molina worked as a security guard, and not only provided for family here in the U.S., but also for relatives back in Nicaragua. His family said they wanted to bring his body back to Nicaragua, but said it is too expensive.
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The family also wants the driver to turn himself in, so they can begin to have some closure.
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No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.
