A tragic incident unfolded on the evening streets of Jamaica, Queens, where 68-year-old Trevor Samuels was struck and killed by a moped driven by 26-year-old Yunior Rodriguez. Samuels, who had been crossing within a marked crosswalk at the intersection of 93rd Avenue and 168th Street on Friday, suffered fatal head injuries and later died at Jamaica Hospital. Rodriguez, who was also injured in the collision, stayed at the scene, was subsequently arrested, and faced charges for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, according to a report by ABC7NY.
In an emotional outpouring, Kievette Samuels, Trevor's eldest daughter, described the harrowing moment when law enforcement officers delivered the devastating news to her family, "I ran downstairs screaming - I haven't slept. My body is tired, I'm hungry, I don't want to eat," she told ABC7NY; Rodriguez's action not only arrested the daily rhythms of a family preparing for the festive season but also cut short the life of a man known for his remarkable intelligence and wealth of stories from his past as a correctional officer in Jamaica.
Meanwhile, CBS News New York's coverage conveys the sorrow that befell the Samuels family, with Kievette noting the permanence of the loss, saying, "My Christmases will never be the same because every time December rolls around, it's going to always be a permanent memory." The family now faces the daunting task of raising funds to repatriate their father's remains to Jamaica, ensuring a final goodbye for his other four children; the victim's youngest daughter, just 17, is particularly aggrieved as she has been deprived of the opportunity to visit America with her father and discover the land he traversed, a visit tragically precluded by the incident.
Trevor Samuels, who was described as "smart, thoughtful and blessed with a memory like no other," had been a steadfast public servant in his homeland as a correctional officer, before eventually moving to the United States where he worked as a home health aide; in a statement obtained by CBS News New York, neighbors remembered him fondly, noting his recent sightings, mere days before the fatal event that would leave the family grappling for forgiveness amidst their loss, now Trevor has forever left the tight-knit fabric of his local community, his absence to be felt in the immeasurable void within the hearts of his five children and five grandchildren
