NYPD officer dies in motorcycle accident caused by drag racing car driver

A NYPD cop died in a motorcycle accident in New York City on Sunday. 34 year old Richard Holt was riding his Harley-Davidson on the Cross Island Parkway in Queens when a BMW drag racing with another car clipped the rear end of his bike.  He was rushed to the hospital but he didn’t survive his injuries. The driver of the BMW stayed at the scene of the accident. The other driver who was racing with him fled the scene of the accident. It is not clear if the driver who hit the motorcyclist will be charged or not.

Holt who was previously working in the security department of the NASA in Florida came back to New York to take care of his father. He joined the NYPD and was part of the homeless outreach team. He had been recently re-assigned to a Covid-19 response unit.  He was on his way to work when the accident occured.

Holt was also an avid biker and he was the founder and president of the Unwanted LEM Motorcycle Club whose members are mostly law enforcement employees.  Before creating his own club, Holt became a member the NYC Punishers LEMC  around 4 years ago.

Holt was very involved in the motorcycle community and participated to various charities such as breast cancer motorcycle runs or toy runs for kids.

Holt is not the only victim of  reckless driving around the city, 3 other people were killed by speeding drivers this weekend

Since the city has been on lock down, drag racing became rampant. Major city highways such as the Cross Island Parkway have turned into race tracks and front-line workers driving or riding to work are now facing another deadly treat. Residents living next to highways can hear the noise of engines revving all day and all night long. When they call the police they are being told that the police resources are being so depleted by the corona virus that they don’t have the resources to go after drag racers.

Read more in the NY Daily News