Privacy update — September 18, 2026: Identifying details have been removed under our victim privacy policy.
What Happened
A 29-year-old man from Bergen Beach, Brooklyn, died Thursday night, Sept. 17, 2026, after his motorcycle struck the left median on the Manhattan-bound ramp from Thomson Avenue onto the Queensboro Bridge in Long Island City, according to QNS. Officers from the NYPD’s 108th Precinct responded to a 911 call at approximately 6:20 p.m. reporting a motor vehicle collision on the westbound lanes of the span.
The victim was riding a 2025 Yamaha R7 when he failed to navigate a hairpin turn on the Thomson Avenue ramp. The motorcycle struck the left median. He was ejected and sustained severe trauma to his body, the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad determined.
EMS rushed him to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in critical condition. He was pronounced dead there. The NYPD 108th Precinct confirmed the fatality, as QNS first reported.
Location & Road Context
The Thomson Avenue ramp onto the Queensboro Bridge is a tight, curving approach that feeds Manhattan-bound traffic through Queens Plaza in Long Island City. The ramp’s hairpin geometry makes it one of the sharper turns on any New York City bridge approach.
The westbound ramp stayed backed up for hours after the 6:20 p.m. crash as investigators worked the scene into the night. Traffic extended onto Queens Boulevard in Sunnyside and Woodside. Motorists were advised to use alternate routes while the Collision Investigation Squad remained on scene.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad is leading the investigation into the victim’s death. No charges have been filed and no other vehicles were reported involved, according to QNS. The squad’s involvement indicates the case is being treated as a fatal collision requiring formal reconstruction. No arraignment date or additional findings had been announced as of the morning of Sept. 18, 2026.