July 27, 2021 By Michael Dorgan
A man is dead after he threw himself under a moving tractor-trailer and was crushed by its tires in Willets Point Monday.
The victim was chasing after a 2020 Peterbilt tractor-trailer — that was traveling in the vicinity of 126th Place and 34th Avenue at around 9:50 a.m. — when he suddenly ducked under the heavy-duty vehicle and was run over by its rear tires, police said.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, police said, did not realize that he had struck the victim and kept moving in a northbound direction.
The truck driver, 46, came to a stop a short distance from the scene when a witness flagged him down to tell him he had hit someone with the vehicle.
Police arrived at the location a short time later and came across the victim who was unconscious and unresponsive with severe trauma to his body, an NYPD official said.
Police said they do not suspect any foul play and are considering the incident as a possible suicide. The Medical Examiner will ultimately determine the cause of death.
No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
The victim’s name has not been released, pending family notification.