Driver Who Killed 8-Year-Old Boy In Queens Faces Homicide Charge: NYPD

QUEENS, NY — A pickup truck driver who plowed over and killed an 8-year-old boy in front of his mother in Queens faces a homicide charge, police said.

Cops arrested Jose Barcia, 52, a few hours after a fatal pedestrian crash Wednesday that left Bayron Palomino Arroyo, 8, dead on an East Elmhurst crosswalk, NYPD officials said.

Barcia struck Arroyo and his 10-year-old brother as he turned his 2005 Nissan Titan pickup truck left from 31st Avenue onto 100th Street, said Philip Rivera, the NYPD's chief of transportation.

"He made the turn quickly, too quickly," Rivera said. "And that's when unfortunately he hit them in the crosswalk."

Arroyo suffered severe injuries to his head and body from the truck's front and rear tires, and medics pronounced him dead shortly after the crash about 4:15 p.m., police said.

The boy's brother suffered an injury to his wrist, authorities said.

Barcia narrowly missed the brothers' mother, a 37-year-old woman, who walked with the boys, Rivera said.

Police believe Barcia had a green light, but didn't yield to the family, who had the right-of-way, Rivera said. He stayed on the scene and made the first of many 911 calls authorities received about the crash, Rivera said.

Officers will request charges against Barcia of criminally negligent homicide, two counts of failure to yield to a pedestrian, failure to exercise due care and unsafe speed, authorities said.