8 FEBRUARY 8, 2018 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Community gets
DOT to remove bus
lane camera
BY RYAN KELLEY
RKELLEY@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
TWITTER @R_KELLEY6
The residents of Goldington
Court in Middle Village
spoke out about getting
bombarded with warning letters
for driving in the bus lane on
Woodhaven Boulevard, and two
weeks later they got the result
they were hoping for.
The problematic camera on
the corner of Goldington Court
and Woodhaven Boulevard was
removed on Feb. 2, according to
local residents Herb Wagner and
Liz Smith. Since the installation
of the camera to enforce the rules
of the new Select Bus Service on
Woodhaven Boulevard, Wagner
said that he and six other neighbors
that live on Goldington
Court received a total of 48 warnings
between them for a driving
scenario that was unavoidable.
Soon aft er the camera’s removal,
it was replaced one block to
the north on the corner of 64th
Road and Woodhaven Boulevard.
While it appears that the new
camera placement should give
the residents of Goldington Court
the 200 feet necessary to legally
turn from their street into the bus
lane before making the next right
at Furmanville Avenue, Wagner
did not want to speculate.
Instead, he said he will wait to
see the results, but he does “have
a positive feeling that this will
correct a dangerous situation.”
On Feb. 6, the Department of
Transportation (DOT) released
the following statement in an
email to QNS: “Aft er evaluating
the location, DOT repositioned
the bus lane camera in order to
address community concerns
and allow for better movement of
turning vehicles onto Woodhaven
Boulevard.”
The DOT said in a past statement
that it would release a notice
to the public before the warning
period ends and the violations
begin. Drivers ticketed for improperly
driving in the bus lane
on Woodhaven Boulevard will be
fi ned anywhere from $115 to $150.
Smith was also unsure about
the camera change, but the 84th
Place resident who has built a
“don’t mess with Smith” reputation
as an advocate for the United
Federation of Teachers will continue
to speak out if the problem
persists, she said.
Glendale boy dies after being pulled from icy pond
BY RYAN KELLEY
RKELLEY@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
TWITTER @R_KELLEY6
A Glendale boy has died aft er being
pulled from an ice-covered
pond in Forest Park on Tuesday.
Authorities identifi ed the victim as
Anthony Perez, 11, of 88th Lane who
was with another boy at Strack Pond
in Forest Park when the incident took
place.
According to fi re offi cials, the FDNY
responded to a call of a person that had
fallen into Strack Pond, in the vicinity
of Woodhaven Boulevard and Forest
Park Drive, at approximately 4:05 p.m.
on Feb. 6.
Fire offi cials said that there were
two children involved. One of them
called for help but it was not yet known
if that child also fell into the water. The
other child fell into the water, was rescued
and provided medical attention
at the scene.
Paramedics then rushed the victim
to Jamaica Hospital in serious
condition. Two fi refi ghters are also
being treated for hypothermia, fi re
offi cials said.
Signs posted at Strack Pond where two children were on the ice when
one fell in and the other ran for help on Feb. 6.
According to the Daily News, Perez
was actually standing near the side of
the pond, and it was his friend who fell
into the water fi rst. The report said
that Perez rushed in to pull his friend
to safety but couldn’t get himself back
out of the water, and was then submerged
under the ice for up to a half
hour while his friend ran to fi nd help.
Photo by Robert Stridiron
Police could not immediately confi
rm the details of that report.
Aerial footage from NBC showed
how part of the rescue unfolded.
At the scene, the FDNY posted
a tweet with photos of the signage
around the pond and urged parents
to explain the dangers of thin ice to
their children.
Knifepoint robber linked to 13 thefts in Brooklyn & Queens
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
RPOZARYCKI@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
@ROBBPOZ
Detectives have linked a
knife-wielding crook who
recently robbed women in
Ridgewood and Ozone Park to 11
additional street robberies in Brooklyn
and Queens since the new year
started.
According to police, the bandit
mostly targeted women as they
were walking home or who had just
returned home in Ridgewood, Ozone
Park and Brooklyn. All but a handful
of the robberies occurred during
morning hours, from as early as 2:01
a.m. to as late as 10:15 a.m.
Last week, the NYPD released information
about the suspect robbing
a 27-year-old woman inside the ATM
lobby of the Capital One Bank located
at 59-01 Myrtle Ave. in Ridgewood on
Jan. 22. He was also linked to the Jan.
24 robbery of a 70-year-old woman at
her home in the vicinity of Glenmore
Avenue and 76th Street in Ozone Park.
In both episodes, law enforcement
sources said, the perpetrator threatened
the victims with a knife before
stealing their cash and/or jewelry.
On Feb. 1, police announced that
the suspect had been tied to 11 other
similar capers dating back to Jan.
3. In most instances, he threatened
the victims with a knife — and in a
few cases, resorted to punching or
pushing them to the ground.
The pattern includes the following
two capers that occurred in
Ozone Park:
At 8:55 p.m. on Jan. 11, police said,
the bandit confronted a 72-year-old
woman aft er she returned home in
the area of 75th Street and Pitkin
Avenue. He punched the woman in
the face, then took her wallet and
fl ed the scene. The woman suff ered
minor injuries and refused medical
attention.
At 6:25 p.m. on Jan. 29, the crook
attacked a 46-year-old woman as she
walked home in the area of Glenmore
Avenue and 76th Street. He displayed
a knife, pushed her to the ground and
demanded her property. Aft er obtaining
her phone, jacket and purse,
he fl ed the scene. The victim suff ered
minor injuries.
Seven additional incidents
occurred in Brooklyn, including
the following three incidents in
Bushwick:
• the Jan. 28 robbery of a 24-yearold
woman in the area of Madison
Street and Evergreen Avenue;
• the Jan. 28 robbery of a 45-yearold
woman in the area of Cooper
Street and Evergreen Avenue; and
• the Jan. 30 robbery of a 37-year-old
woman in the area of Gates and
Central avenues.
Police described the suspect as a
black man in his 20s standing 5 foot
7 inches tall. He was seen wearing
a black hooded jacket, blue jeans
and red sneakers while carrying a
backpack.
Anyone with information regarding
his whereabouts can call Crime
Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS; all calls are
kept confi dential.
