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Boy Who Was Hurt in Maspeth Accident Dies, Officials Say

By  Katie Honan and Aidan Gardiner | September 19, 2013 12:49pm 

 Michael Gomez died in Elmhurst Hospital after he was struck by an SUV near his school, officials said.
Boy Hurt in Maspeth Crash Dies Days Later
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MASPETH — A 13-year-old boy who was hurt when an out-of-control SUV slammed into him and four other middle schoolers last week has died, officials said.

Michael Gomez died Sunday in Elmhurst Hospital, but the medical examiner is still trying to determine if his death was related to the crash, a spokeswoman said.

The cause of death was not immediately clear.

On Sept. 12, Francis Lu was trying to park near Grand Avenue and 71st Street when he accidentally pressed the gas and slammed into five I.S. 73 students.

The two boys who were hit, including Michael, suffered only minor injuries in the incident, officials said at the time.

Eighth-grader Angie Peña was walking to school with her friends when the silver Honda Pilot slammed into her, according go reports and surveillance video.

Friends wrote letters and visited her in the hospital.

"I said I really missed her and I hoped she feels better," said Angie's friend, Melissa Jimenez, 13. "Any belief you have — like prayers — just pray for her."

Another girl, 13-year-old Ashley Khan, suffered a compound fracture to her left leg and a broken pelvis. Another girl, Marina Abadir, 14, suffered broken vertebrae.

The driver had not been charged in the incident as of Thursday afternoon, an NYPD spokesman said.

Schools chancellor Dennis Walcott reached out to the boy's family and grief counselors were dispatched to the school, a Department of Education spokeswoman said.

With reporting by Trevor Bach.