Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

City Bus Kills Harlem Man Less Than a Day After Similar Accident in Queens

By DNAinfo Staff on February 23, 2012 7:02am

Willie Gonzalez, 25, was fatally struck by an M60 at St. Nicholas Avenue and West 125th Street on Feb. 23, 2012.
Willie Gonzalez, 25, was fatally struck by an M60 at St. Nicholas Avenue and West 125th Street on Feb. 23, 2012.
View Full Caption
DNAinfo/David Torres

By Sonja Sharp and Wil Cruz

DNAinfo Staff

HARLEM — A city bus hit and killed a man in Harlem early Thursday, just hours after another MTA vehicle fatally struck a woman in Queens.

Willie Gonzalez, 25, of West 111th Street, was walking south on St. Nicholas Avenue when he was hit by an M60 bus moving west on 125th Street at 1:15 a.m., police and transit officials said.

Paramedics rushed him to St. Luke's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later, an MTA spokeswoman said.

The driver of the bus remained at the scene and has not been criminally charged.

On Wednesday, Meilan Jin, 22, died after a Q44 bus turned onto her as she crossed Northern Boulevard and Union Street in Flushing, Queens.

"I can't believe it right now," said a woman claiming to be Jin's roommate, who only identified herself as Ms. Kim.

Kim said Jin, who was Korean but raised in China, immigrated to the U.S. 18 months ago. She worked in a nail salon in Westchester, Kim said.

"She had so many dreams," Kim added. "She was such a nice girl, so cute and so honest. She was always so happy, and had many friends here."

The driver of the bus left the scene, unaware she had hit anyone, police said.

She was not charged.

Kevin Ortiz, a spokesman for the MTA, said the authority is conducting its own investigations into both accidents.

"These are two unfortunate incidents," he said.

DNAinfo reporter Trevor Kapp contributed to this story.