Queens crossing guard fatally struck by dump truck at intersection

WOODHAVEN, QUEENS – An accident in Queens on Friday morning claimed the life of an NYPD school crossing guard, WNBC reported.

The incident happened in the Woodhaven section of the borough, near the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue.

The crossing guard was on duty helping students across the street at about 8 a.m. when she was struck by a dump truck making a right hand turn.

The crossing guard, identified as 63-year-old Krystyna Naprawa, died at the scene.  The driver of the dump truck, 39-year-old Hector Yepes, remained at the scene.  He was subsequently charged with failure to yield right of way to a pedestrian and failure to use due care, and was released.

Naprawa, who lived in Howard Beach, Queens, had been an NYPD crossing guard for 13 years.  Police are continuing their investigation into the cause of the crash.

In a statement, New York City Police Commissioner Edward Caban said that Naprawa “dedicated her life to protecting the most vulnerable among us” during her career as a crossing guard.

Caban said his department, which school crossing guards are part of, “is in mourning today as we grieve the loss of one of our own.”

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