Traffic Commission Chair: Obey Village Speed Limit

In light of the recent fatal accident on Stewart Avenue at Roxbury Road, trustee John DeMaro, who serves as chair of the village's Traffic Commission, urged residents to comply with Garden City's speed limit.

"I don't know if speed had anything to do with the accident but I would just urge the residents to comply with the village speed limits," he said. "We've always had an issue down Stewart Avenue from Edgemere if you're going east but as the chair of the Traffic Commission I would really urge people to comply with the 30 mile an hour speed limit."

On May 29, officers responded to Stewart Avenue and Roxbury Road where a motorcyclist traveling east collided with a vehicle stopped for a red traffic light. The motorcyclist, a male 22-year-old from Queens, was transported to Winthrop Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

The Garden City Police Department has beefed up its aggressive driving enforcement. Fifteen arrests were made in May, according to police commissioner Kenneth Jackson, including a male 22-year-old from Brentwood who was speeding while driving while intoxicated without his headlights on. He was charged with aggravated DWI (.19 percent blood alcohol content), aggravated unlicensed operation, speeding and driving without headlights on.

On May 1, a 42-year-old female from Franklin Square was issued traffic tickets for speeding in a school zone (49 mph in a 20-mph zone) on Rockaway Avenue and for passing a Stop sign, according to a police report. The woman was also cited for driving while the vehicle registration was suspended and for no insurance.

Further, on May 31, a male 54-year-old from Hempstead was caught doing 50 mph in a 30-mph zone on Franklin Avenue and Fourth Street. The driver was subsequently arrested for eight open driver's license violations, unlicensed operation, uninsured operation and speeding.

While conducting traffic enforcement on Stewart Avenue June 5, Officer Buonaiuto cited a male 35-year-old from Sayville for speeding at Wellington Avenue (45 mph), driving with three license suspensions and uninsured operation. The subject’s vehicle was impounded.

That same day, another operator was cited for speeding in a school zone (70 mph in a 20-mph zone) in front of Garden City Middle School.