US-based Guyanese man dies after falling into pothole on Liberty Avenue

A 46-year-old US-based Guyanese man died after crashing his standing scooter in Queens, New York, near a stretch neighbours say has long been plagued by potholes.
The deadly incident happened around 21:30h Monday in Ozone Park. Authorities say the man was heading east on Liberty Avenue when he fell near 109th Street.
According to NBC New York, the now deceased was pronounced dead after suffering critical head injuries. His identity has not yet been released, pending family notification.
Fresh blacktop now covers sections of Liberty Avenue where the crash occurred. Candles have been placed near the spot where the man’s body was found.
Surveillance video obtained from a nearby business shows the 46-year-old leaving the establishment and riding down Liberty Avenue. The footage shows him passing a white car moments before he suddenly hits the ground at the intersection.
“When I looked, I saw the guy face down, but he was wearing a jacket,” said Ann Murak, who lives in Ozone Park and said she saw the victim lying in the roadway. “I’m looking right, and the scooter looks like maybe a few feet from him, but he was not moving.”
Local residents in the area say potholes have been a persistent problem along the stretch of Liberty Avenue, raising concerns about road safety.
“If you go up and down Liberty, you’ll see there’s nothing but potholes,” said Monica Sanchez, who lives in the area.
The city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) said it had not received any formal complaints about potholes on that section of Liberty Avenue for “years”.
In a statement, the DOT said, “This is a terrible tragedy, and our thoughts are with the victim of this crash and his family. NYC DOT has crews working around the clock across the five boroughs to fill potholes and make emergency roadway repairs – with more than 10,000 potholes filled in just the last week alone and plans to resurface more than 1100 lane miles this year.”
Potholes are a recurring issue across New York City, particularly after dramatic temperature swings that cause pavement to expand and contract. While they are often considered a seasonal nuisance, neighbours say this crash highlights how dangerous they can become.
“But one thing is that what we’ve seen from this city is that people have to lose their lives before they fix things, you know?” Sunny Bacchus, who lives nearby, stated.
It remains unclear whether a pothole directly caused the crash. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone who sees a pothole is asked to call 311.