NEW YORK CITY, NY – A fundraiser has been established for the family of an NYPD officer who sadly passed back in August following a fatal motorcycle accident described a hit-and-run by authorities.
At approximately 8:30 a.m. on August 27th, 30-year-old Officer Jay Pena was riding on his motorcycle along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway after finishing up his “midnight tour” shift at the 84th Precinct when tragedy struck. Officer Pena’s motorcycle collided with a box truck near exit 27 on the expressway, resulting in a crash that caused the motorcycle to erupt in flames.
Hours after the fatal crash, police arrested 30-year-old Carlos Almanzar Toribio under suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, operating an unregistered vehicle and driving without a license plate.
Sources told the New York Post that the suspect arrested may have been unaware of the motorcycle colliding with the box truck, suggesting that the late officer’s motorcycle may have been clipped by the rear of the suspect’s vehicle.
However, Samantha Batsikas, a friend of Officer Pena, told the New York Daily News that the suspect did observe the aftermath of the incident and decided to flee the area despite the horrific scene.
“To get out of your car, to move the motorcycle, to see a body and not do anything, to leave and really only think of yourself in that moment…sucks,” Batsikas told the outlet, referencing the allegations brought forth by prosecutors in Toribio’s case.
He added, “Working in a hospital for so long, you know that time is very, very important. To have taken that time away from helping him…He could potentially be here.”
Dual fundraisers have been set up to benefit Officer Pena’s family during this difficult time, with one being a GoFundMe established by the martial arts gym he frequented and another set up through FundtheFirst.
In an Instagram post shared by Glory Martial Arts Center following Officer Pena’s passing, the owner wrote, “Jay was more than just a teammate , he was part of our community, our mats, and our everyday moments. His energy, and kindness left a mark on everyone he trained with.”
In the FundtheFirst fundraiser established for the late NYPD officer, it reads, “We are devastated by the sudden loss of our beloved Jay Pena, whose life was taken far too soon. Jay was a son, a brother, the light of his family, and a friend who always looked out for the people he loved. His kind heart and protective spirit touched everyone who knew him.”
Funeral mass services were be held earlier on September 3rd at 10:15 a.m. at Our Lady of Angels Church in Brooklyn.
At approximately 8:30 a.m. on August 27th, 30-year-old Officer Jay Pena was riding on his motorcycle along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway after finishing up his “midnight tour” shift at the 84th Precinct when tragedy struck. Officer Pena’s motorcycle collided with a box truck near exit 27 on the expressway, resulting in a crash that caused the motorcycle to erupt in flames.
Hours after the fatal crash, police arrested 30-year-old Carlos Almanzar Toribio under suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, operating an unregistered vehicle and driving without a license plate.
Sources told the New York Post that the suspect arrested may have been unaware of the motorcycle colliding with the box truck, suggesting that the late officer’s motorcycle may have been clipped by the rear of the suspect’s vehicle.
However, Samantha Batsikas, a friend of Officer Pena, told the New York Daily News that the suspect did observe the aftermath of the incident and decided to flee the area despite the horrific scene.
“To get out of your car, to move the motorcycle, to see a body and not do anything, to leave and really only think of yourself in that moment…sucks,” Batsikas told the outlet, referencing the allegations brought forth by prosecutors in Toribio’s case.
He added, “Working in a hospital for so long, you know that time is very, very important. To have taken that time away from helping him…He could potentially be here.”
Dual fundraisers have been set up to benefit Officer Pena’s family during this difficult time, with one being a GoFundMe established by the martial arts gym he frequented and another set up through FundtheFirst.
In an Instagram post shared by Glory Martial Arts Center following Officer Pena’s passing, the owner wrote, “Jay was more than just a teammate , he was part of our community, our mats, and our everyday moments. His energy, and kindness left a mark on everyone he trained with.”
In the FundtheFirst fundraiser established for the late NYPD officer, it reads, “We are devastated by the sudden loss of our beloved Jay Pena, whose life was taken far too soon. Jay was a son, a brother, the light of his family, and a friend who always looked out for the people he loved. His kind heart and protective spirit touched everyone who knew him.”
Funeral mass services were be held earlier on September 3rd at 10:15 a.m. at Our Lady of Angels Church in Brooklyn.
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