Driver Charged After Two Pedestrians Killed in Sunset Park
At 4:22 a.m. on July 11, 2025, two pedestrians were killed at Third Avenue and 52nd Street in Sunset Park, where police say Juventino Anastacio Florentino drove a BMW through a red light and left the scene.
What We Know
Kex Un Chen, 80, and Faqiu Lin, 59, were killed before dawn at Third Avenue and 52nd Street in Sunset Park. City records say both men were pedestrians at the intersection, and police said Juventino Anastacio Florentino drove south in a BMW, hit them, and left. Police later arrested Florentino in Staten Island and prosecutors brought manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, leaving-the-scene, reckless-driving and related charges. The record and press accounts point to traffic control and speed as central issues, while accounts differ on the exact signal sequence for the pedestrians.
A pre-dawn crash killed two men crossing Third Avenue
City records place the crash at 4:22 a.m. on July 11, 2025, at Third Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. The records say two male pedestrians, ages 59 and 80, were killed at the intersection, with no other injuries recorded.
Police identified the men as Faqiu Lin, 59, and Kex Un Chen, 80. Police said Juventino Anastacio Florentino, 23, drove south on Third Avenue in a BMW, hit the pedestrians, and left the scene.
The men who died were identified as Kex Un Chen and Faqiu Lin
The Daily News reported that Chen was an 80-year-old immigrant from Fujian, China, who came to New York City in 2016 to be with family. His son, Qin Xiao Chen, described him as independent, selfless and true to his word.
ABC7 reported that one victim could be seen pulling a grocery cart and the other walking with a cane before the crash. City Harvest said the men may have been on their way to its Mobile Market, and said its thoughts were with their families and loved ones.
Police traced a damaged BMW after the driver left
City records list the involved vehicle as a 2011 BMW sedan traveling south and going straight before the crash, with right-front and front-end damage recorded.
ABC7 reported that police tracked the 2011 BMW 3 Series sedan near Florentino's Staten Island home using surveillance video and pieces left at the scene. CBS New York reported that police narrowed the make and model from debris and surveillance video.
Speed, traffic control and the signal sequence are central issues
City records list traffic control disregarded as a contributing factor for the crash and list unsafe speed for the driver in the BMW sedan. Police and prosecutors also brought charges tied to a red light, reckless driving and speed.
The record and press accounts do not describe the pedestrian signal the same way. City records say both pedestrians were crossing with the signal, CBS New York reported that video showed the crosswalk signal giving them the right of way, and Streetsblog reported that footage showed the men began against the light before it changed as they reached the middle of the street.
Third Avenue has a long record of crashes
The crash happened at 3rd Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn, on the 3rd Avenue corridor.
CrashCountNYC's location review for 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn counts 2,163 crashes, 1,457 injuries, 82 serious injuries and 10 deaths from 2022 through June 1, 2026.
Florentino was arraigned as prosecutors described the investigation
ABC7 reported that Florentino was arraigned the day after the crash. The Daily News reported that a Brooklyn Criminal Court judge ordered him held on $100,000 bail.
Prosecutors said police smelled alcohol on Florentino's breath after his arrest and that a breath test showed a 0.06 percent blood alcohol content, below the legal limit. The Daily News reported that his attorney noted he was not facing drunk-driving charges.