Young Cyclist Killed in Queens After Crashing into Open Car Door
A tragic accident unfolded in North Corona, Queens, last Monday night when 26-year-old cyclist Cristian Villafuerte Vasquez slammed into a parked car door left open by a 25-year-old BMW driver. The incident occurred at the intersection of 108th Street and 38th Avenue around 6:30 p.m., prompting an immediate response from emergency services.
According to NYPD officials, Villafuerte Vasquez was riding his traditional bike when the BMW's driver exited the vehicle, failing to check for pedestrians or cyclists before opening the door. The cyclist collided with the open door and suffered severe head trauma, which ultimately led to his death at Elmhurst Hospital.
The driver remained at the scene but has not been charged with a crime, sparking concerns about the lack of accountability in such incidents. "Dooring" – when a driver opens their car door into the path of an approaching cyclist – poses a significant risk to cyclists, particularly on roads without dedicated bike lanes.
Statistics show that while collisions involving traditional bikes have decreased slightly this year, e-bike-related crashes have skyrocketed by 36%, with over 700 reported incidents as of October 19. The city has seen more than 170 traffic deaths in 2025, a decline from the previous year but still alarming.
Transportation officials are urging drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists to exercise caution during the early evening hours when visibility on city roads is reduced due to daylight saving time's end this Sunday. With over 200 traffic fatalities recorded by this point last year, vigilance is essential in preventing such accidents.
A tragic accident unfolded in North Corona, Queens, last Monday night when 26-year-old cyclist Cristian Villafuerte Vasquez slammed into a parked car door left open by a 25-year-old BMW driver. The incident occurred at the intersection of 108th Street and 38th Avenue around 6:30 p.m., prompting an immediate response from emergency services.
According to NYPD officials, Villafuerte Vasquez was riding his traditional bike when the BMW's driver exited the vehicle, failing to check for pedestrians or cyclists before opening the door. The cyclist collided with the open door and suffered severe head trauma, which ultimately led to his death at Elmhurst Hospital.
The driver remained at the scene but has not been charged with a crime, sparking concerns about the lack of accountability in such incidents. "Dooring" – when a driver opens their car door into the path of an approaching cyclist – poses a significant risk to cyclists, particularly on roads without dedicated bike lanes.
Statistics show that while collisions involving traditional bikes have decreased slightly this year, e-bike-related crashes have skyrocketed by 36%, with over 700 reported incidents as of October 19. The city has seen more than 170 traffic deaths in 2025, a decline from the previous year but still alarming.
Transportation officials are urging drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists to exercise caution during the early evening hours when visibility on city roads is reduced due to daylight saving time's end this Sunday. With over 200 traffic fatalities recorded by this point last year, vigilance is essential in preventing such accidents.
what's with these crazy dooring incidents?? like, come on! a lil check before you open that door... it's not that hard! e-bikes are getting more popular and we need to make sure our roads are safe for all of us 
. I just can't believe what happened to Cristian... he was young and full of life, and now he's gone because of something that could've been prevented. The fact that the BMW driver didn't even check if there were any pedestrians or cyclists around before opening his door is just shocking 
. It's like, we all know that dooring can be a huge hazard for cyclists, but you'd think people would get it by now 
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. Let's all just take a deep breath and try to stay vigilant out there, especially during the early evening hours 
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and it was because some dude left his car door open 
I mean, come on! Can't that guy just check for people before opening the door? It's not that hard, right? And now there's all this drama about whether he should get charged... like, what's going on with that? 
Anyway, did you hear about those e-bikes being super popular again? I saw some cool ones online and they look so much fun to ride... do you have an e-bike?
This just sucks, what a tragedy! I was riding my bike near the city when it got dark and I had to slow down too... you never know who's gonna be stupid enough to open their door like that 
ugh, this story is so frustrating. like, come on driver! check ur door before u open it! it's not that hard to avoid a fatal accident. and 36% increase in e-bike crashes? that's just crazy. i mean, we need better bike lanes and infrastructure, but also drivers need to be more aware of their surroundings. and what's up with the driver not getting charged for this? shouldn't they face some consequences for putting someone's life at risk? 
... but at the same time, like, who can really blame the driver? They were just trying to exit their car and didn't see the cyclist 
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Do you guys remember when we used to have bike lanes everywhere? It seems like they're getting cut back or something. Anyway, yeah, let's just all try to be more careful out there, okay? 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around what happened to Cristian Villafuerte Vasquez 
. It's heartbreaking that we're seeing more traffic fatalities, especially with the recent daylight saving time changes #LessIsMore #BeVigilant. Let's all take a minute to consider our actions on the road and how they can impact others' lives 
. Can't we just have designated bike lanes everywhere? 
It's not too much to ask for, right? 