FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com APRIL 16, 2015 • THE COURIER SUN 3 FOUR DEAD IN APPARENT CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING IN FLORAL PARK BY ANTHONY GIUDICE, ROBERT POZARYCKI AND CRISTABELLE TUMOLA editorial@queenscourier.com/@QueensCourier Four seniors — including a married couple in their 80s — were found dead inside a Floral Park home on the afternoon of April 10, according to police, in an apparent carbon monoxide poisoning. A relative of one of the victims reportedly made the grim discovery at about 3:15 p.m. during a visit to the home on 86th Avenue near 260th Street. According to sources, the relative visited the location after not hearing from anyone at the home for several days. Reportedly, one of the victims— Jerry Hugel, 83—was discovered dead near a running vehicle parked in the garage attached to the home. Police said Hugel’s wife—Marie Hugel, 80—and a tenant who lived in the apartment above them— Gloria Greco, 70—were also found dead along with Walter Vonthadden, 76, of Riverside Drive in Whitestone. Reportedly, he was a friend of one of the victims. Offi cers from the 105th Precinct and Fire Department units responded to the scene; all four victims were pronounced dead. Their bodies were transported to the Offi ce of the Chief Medical Examiner for autopsies. The investigation is ongoing. THE COURIER/Photo by Anthony Giudice Lone road into Hamilton Beach to get major repairs BY ANGELA MATUA editorial@queenscourier.com @AngelaMatua Hamilton Beach residents will soon see an end to the roller coaster they have been experiencing when driving through 104th Street. Representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOT) said they would fi nally get started on repairing the road, which residents have been demanding for years. Work is anticipated to start in the fall of this year and will include roadway resurfacing, according to a representative. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will fund the repairs since they decided the damage was a result of Hurricane Sandy, though Hamilton Beach Civic Association President Roger Gendron said the damage was done well before the storm. According to Gendron, the DOT told residents that 104th Street would be included in its 10-year capital project plan in 2010. Repairs were never made and after the superstorm hit, the potholes and cracks grew bigger. “I don’t want to say we were lied to, but we weren’t told the truth,” Gendron said. Everyone who enters and exits Hamilton Beach must drive through 104th Street, making the street even more dangerous since people sometimes swerve to avoid potholes, Gendron said. Buses also run through 104th Street, and potholes formed near the bus stops. Additionally, there is no sidewalk where riders can wait to board, so they are forced to wait on the street. Betty Braton, chairwoman of Community Board 10 says the repairs are “long overdue.” “The community has had to put up with conditions not conducive to safe driving because of the potholes and the ripples in the street,” Bratton said. “It’s not been a good situation for this community.” Gendron said the DOT has fi lled a few potholes but the work has not been substantial enough. The DOT has conducted a number of street resurfacing projects for Howard Beach, Hamilton Beach’s neighbor, but this is the fi rst time residents here have heard concrete information about repairs. “This is a giant step forward,” Gendron said. “We’ve never heard about a project until now.” The West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department is located right off of 104th Street and Chief Jonah Cohen said when volunteers come to department headquarters, they end up hitting potholes and run the risk of damaging their cars. Something as important as responding to a call should not require so much effort on the part of the driver, Gendron said. “Me, getting milk and bread, I can take my time,” Gendron said. “They’re going to respond to a call, time is of an essence. To have to think about where am I driving, what side of the street am I driving on, is anybody coming? It’s a no-brainer to me that you shouldn’t have to think like that.” THE COURIER / Photo by Angela Matua
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