The community gathered at the corner of Lewis and Jefferson avenues, the Bed-Stuy intersection where 13-year-old Kevin Flores was struck by an oil truck Friday evening.
On Sunday, the community gathered in Bedford Stuyvesant to mourn the loss of 13-year-old cyclist Kevin Flores who was killed in an accident on Friday evening. At the vigil, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, joined by the Flores family, Councilmembers Robert Cornegy and Antonio Reynoso, safe streets advocates from Transportation Alternatives and clergy members, called for stricter criminal penalties against both unlicensed drivers and the companies who allow them to operate their vehicles while unlicensed.
"There's a reason for vehicle licenses; in the wrong hands, they can be deadly weapons," stated Adams. "We need criminal penalties for unlicensed drivers in deadly crashes and companies who have them operate their vehicles."
The community gathered at the corner of Lewis and Jefferson avenues, the Bedford Stuyvesant intersection where the fatal accident took place. Kevin had been on his way home to Ridgewood when he was struck by an oil truck that made a left turn onto Jefferson Avenue.
The truck's driver, identified by CBS2 as Philip Monfoletto, was taken into custody by police and was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle. Monfoletto has three prior arrests, including an unlicensed vehicle operation charge from July 2014. He was arraigned and released Saturday on $25,000 bail.
Adams concluded his call for stricter penalties by remembering the victim. "In the memory of the 13-year-old cyclist we lost in Bed-Stuy to a senseless oil truck crash, we will call it Kevin's Law."
The borough president also urged the community to rally behind the family at this time of mourning. To support the family with funeral and personal expenses, Kevin's school, the Launch EL Charter School in Crown Heights, started a GofundMe campaign with the goal, according to a statement by the school, that no financial needs should burden Kevin's family as they cope with their loss.
