Nearly four months ago, 82-year-old Efrain Barreto was tragically struck and killed by an unlicensed motorcyclist in Brooklyn. The rider, Abed Abed, who was 32 years old and was riding a 2023 gas-powered motorized bicycle, collided with Barreto at the intersection of 60th Street and Fifth Avenue while Barreto was crossing the street.
After the accident on June 3rd, Abed remained at the scene and was arrested that evening. He faced a series of traffic-related charges, including serious unlicensed driving, driving without insurance, driving an unregistered vehicle, and failure to observe driving regulations. The most serious charge of “third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation” was considered a misdemeanor, with penalties typically involving fines or up to 30 days of imprisonment.
Furthermore, court records revealed that Abed had been previously charged with speeding, running a red light, and reckless endangerment on January 26th of the same year.
Senator Qu Yiwu proposed bill S9920 aimed at amending vehicle and traffic laws to impose harsher penalties on reckless drivers and unlicensed drivers causing fatalities. She emphasized that the law should impose stricter punishments on those who knowingly drive without a license but choose to do so anyway. The new legislation would establish a felony offense called “first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation” targeting drivers with a history of reckless driving who cause fatalities while driving without a license.
Barreto’s daughter, Vivian Barreto, holding her father’s urn and photo, attended the press conference to urge community support for Councilwoman Qu Yiwu’s proposal, calling for tougher penalties against the perpetrators. She stressed that misdemeanor charges are insufficient to deter reckless drivers whose actions lead to fatalities, emphasizing that her father should not have been a victim of such negligence. “The fact that the rider is being charged with a misdemeanor is like him shoplifting a pair of sneakers. Those criminals who constantly mock the law, scoff at the police, and use false identities need to take our laws seriously.”
Her husband, Paul Osborne, expressed that Abed’s release on misdemeanor charges was unjust as he knowingly drove despite having his license suspended and entered the community intentionally. Supporting the “Efrain Act” is essential to ensure that similar incidents do not recur.
Qu Yiwu stated that she would seek partnerships to advance this legislation further, ensuring that loopholes in the law are addressed and rectified.