Another senior killed in hit-and-run

This is the third fatal hit-and-run in the last month in southern Brooklyn

BATH BEACH – A Bensonhurst woman was struck and killed by a driver operating an electric scooter in a hit-and-run on Aug. 6.

Fanghong Chen, 76, was crossing the street on 18th Avenue and 86th Street when the scooter, traveling eastbound, hit her at 2:10 a.m., cops said.

Chen was taken to NYU Langone Hospital – Brooklyn and was pronounced dead.

No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.

There have been other deadly hit-and-run incidents in southern Brooklyn in the past month.

On July 8 at 9:30 a.m., Zhuo L Xie, 90, was crossing Avenue U and East 14th Street when he was fatally hit by a moped traveling southbound. 

Then, on July 11 at 4:20 a.m., Faqiu Lin, 59, and Kex Un Chen, 80, crossed the street on Third Avenue and 52nd Street and were hit by a hit-and-run driver. Both pedestrians died at the scene.

Police arrested and charged a suspect in each case. 

“Another one of our seniors was the victim of another senseless, reckless, fatal hit and run,” said State Sen. Steve Chan. “No, our neighbors should not have to relearn how to cross the street or have to look both ways on a sidewalk. We need to prosecute these irresponsible riders to the fullest extent of the law. And we need to increase penalties! We need to have every one of these vehicles strictly registered and a license plate affixed.”

Chan also said he will further explore legislation with colleagues that is “effective in regulating this issue.”

“Now, as a cop, I must think at 2 a.m. on a weekday,” he said. “The streets are empty. What did this guy do? It would have been so easy to avoid the pedestrian.”
According to NYC DOT, so far in 2025, there have been 29 fatalities from e-bikes and other motorized two-wheeled vehicles. DOT says e-bike fatalities are down 39% in 2025.