STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The New York City Police Department has issued a correction regarding the identity of a pedestrian killed in a vehicle collision in Staten Island on Wednesday, October 30. Initially, the deceased was identified as Denise Owens, 44, but further investigation revealed the victim was actually Justine Perez, 37, of 69 Sleepy Hollow Road, Staten Island.
The correction was announced by Assistant Commissioner Carlos Nieves from the NYPD’s Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information, who apologized for the misidentification and the distress it may have caused to those involved.
The fatal incident occurred around 10:28 p.m. when police responded to a 911 call reporting a pedestrian struck at the intersection of Hyland Boulevard and New Dorp Lane. According to the NYPD Highway District Collision Investigation Squad, Perez was walking eastbound in the left lane of westbound Hyland Boulevard when she was struck by a 2012 Nissan Maxima driven by an 18-year-old male traveling westbound.
Emergency Medical Services transported Perez to Staten Island University Hospital’s North Campus, where she was pronounced dead. The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene following the collision. No arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The NYPD has expressed regret over the initial misidentification and confirmed that proper family notifications have now been made.
