NYC Parks Dept. worker fatally runs over man sleeping on Coney Island beach, police say

A man asleep on the beach in Coney Island was killed early Monday morning when he was run over by a New York City Parks Department truck, the NYPD said.

Police said the incident occurred at 2:48 a.m. on the beach at Stillwell Avenue and the Riegelmann Boardwalk.

An NYPD spokesman said the incident occurred when a parks work crew, using a machine to clean the sand and a Ford F-250 pickup truck, were on the beach and the driver of the truck failed to see the man, believed to be in his 50s. The victim, whose identity has not been released, died at the scene, police said. Police said it was unclear if the victim was homeless.

The driver remained at the scene.

The investigation into the incident is continuing, police said.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”