Teen's Death Prompts Queens Rally For Controls On Aging Drivers

WHITESTONE, QUEENS -- Hundreds are slated to gather at the Whitestone intersection where a 17-year-old girl was hit and killed by an 88-year-old driver to demand the state enforce stricter license requirements for seniors.

Maddie Sershen, a Flushing honor student at St. Francis Prep, was crossing Utopia Parkway at 16th Avenue on June 25 when the driver, identified as Sheila Kahn-Prager ran a red light and hit her.

The blow sent Sershen flying into Kahn-Prager's 2005 Toyota sedan and crashing onto the pavement, where police found her unconscious with severe head trauma. Medics rushed the teen to a nearby hospital, where she later died.

The intersection has since been adorned with flowers, candles and other mementos in Sershen's memory. But Monday evening, just over a month after the fatal crash, the teen's family will return to the crosswalk to protest for more permanent changes in her honor from the state's Department of Motor Vehicles.

"We are expecting a crowd of 500 people who will be showing their support," said Rita Barravecchio, the teen's aunt. "We know without change more lives will be lost at the hands of incompetent drivers."

In a message shared by Barravecchio, Sershen's sister explained the family is "not looking to take licenses and independence away from those who are fit to drive," but mandate periodic testing to weed out potentially unsafe drivers.

"Driving is a privilege, a privilege granted to many young adolescents and adults who have proved that they are capable mentally and physically to operate a vehicle," Sershen's sister said in the statement.

"Unfortunately for New York...once you pass those one-time tests, the DMV does not require drivers to test their abilities further."

Sershen's sister called the community to head to the intersection of Utopia Parkway and 16th Avenue at 7 p.m. for the July 30 rally in hopes that a big enough crowd will force the DMV to hear the family's cause.

"We are looking to make our community safer and attempting to prevent future tragedies," she said.

"It could have been me or you killed as we were crossing the street that Monday morning. This could have been your daughter or sister."

Crowd size likely won't be a problem for the family, who have received an outpouring of community support since Sershen was killed.

Hours after the teen was hit, a GoFundMe was launched in her name by administrators at Francis Lewis School, where her mother, Cathy is a teacher. The donations came pouring in.

Nearly 500 people donated to "Maddie's Memorial Fund," more than tripling the $10,000 goal for funeral expenses in just three days. The GoFundMe, which has since closed, raised a whopping $37,914.

Another neighbor, Julien Ho, launched a Change.org petition for stricter driver's license requirements, which caught the attention of thousands. The Whitestone father said he never met Sershen, but felt called to do something when his wife, Rachel, stumbled into the crash scene while taking their son to the park.

"I was heartbroken when I heard about the accident from my wife," Ho previously told Patch.

"We pass by that intersection all the time. It was Maddie that got hit that morning, but that could have been anyone."

The petition now boasts more than $19,000 signatures.

Barravecchio said the outpouring of community support has been her family's saving grace as they come to terms with the tragic loss.

"Each day brings a new emotion and different pain, but the support we have gotten from the community helps us get through," she said.

Lead photos: Left, 17-year-old Madeline Sershen, courtesy of Rita Barravecchi0. Right, Sershen's memorial at Utopia Parkway and 16th Avenue, by Julian Ho)