Hit-and-run driver kills pedestrian on Jamaica Avenue
A hit-and-run driver in a dark sedan traveling west on Jamaica Avenue hit a woman near 155-10 Jamaica Ave on March 11, 2026, and left before medics took her to Jamaica Hospital, where she died.
What We Know
On March 11, 2026, a driver in a sedan traveling west on Jamaica Avenue hit a woman near 155-10 Jamaica Ave in Jamaica, Queens. The NYPD crash record lists one pedestrian killed and no other injuries, with improper passing or lane usage recorded for the crash and unsafe speed in the sedan entry. Police told news outlets the driver left the scene; ABC7 and the New York Post reported the driver was in a bus-and-truck-only section of Jamaica Avenue. News accounts reported the woman was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where she died. Sources differ on her age: the official record and several outlets reported 58, while the Post identified her as 57-year-old Suzanne Schmeider.
The driver left after hitting a woman crossing the avenue
The crash happened at 3:06 p.m. on March 11, 2026, near 155-10 Jamaica Ave in Jamaica, Queens. The official record lists one pedestrian killed and no other injuries.
Police told news outlets the woman was crossing Jamaica Avenue toward the south when a driver in a dark-colored sedan traveling west hit her and left the scene.
A witness named Edwin told the Daily News he saw the woman on the ground as emergency workers performed CPR before she was taken to Jamaica Hospital.
A crash point inside a heavily traveled Jamaica Avenue corridor
Police and news reports placed the crash near the Social Security Administration building at 155-10 Jamaica Ave, close to Parsons Boulevard. ABC7 and the New York Post reported that the driver was in a Jamaica Avenue busway or bus-and-truck-only area.
CrashCountNYC location data for Jamaica Avenue in Queens show 2,156 crashes, 1,442 injuries, 77 serious injuries and 6 deaths on the corridor since 2022.
Records and news accounts differ on the victim’s age
The official crash record identifies the victim as a 58-year-old woman pedestrian. The Daily News, ABC7 and Gothamist also reported she was 58 and said police had not released her name while family notification was pending.
The New York Post later identified the victim as 57-year-old Suzanne Schmeider and quoted her daughter, Sydney, saying the family was trying to move forward as the investigation continued. The Post also reported that Sydney launched a fundraiser for funeral expenses.
Police recorded improper lane use and speed
The official crash record lists the involved vehicle as a westbound 2001 LINC sedan going straight ahead. Police recorded passing or lane usage improper as a contributing factor for the crash, and the sedan entry also lists unsafe speed.
The Post reported that one security guard recalled seeing the driver speeding, going through a light, hitting the woman and hitting a bus before continuing. The official crash record in this package lists one sedan.
The driver had not been arrested in early reports
Gothamist reported on March 12 that the NYPD had not made an arrest and that the investigation was ongoing. The Post reported the next day that the driver remained on the loose.