Man killed while out walking in Queens: ‘Wonderful man, sweet, humble’

QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) – A pedestrian killed in a hit-and-run in Queens on Tuesday was a “wonderful man” who was the type of person to “give you the shirt off his back,” a longtime friend said.

David Opiela, a 56-year-old Queens resident, was fatally struck by a U-Haul truck while walking near Kissena Boulevard and Horace Harding Expressway around 12:30 a.m., according to the NYPD.

The U-Haul truck was headed west on Horace Harding Expressway when it mounted a small curb as it approached Kissena Boulevard and hit Opiela, police said. The U-Haul truck then came off the curb and continued through the intersection and struck a car, according to police.

Opiela died at the scene. The driver of the other car that was struck was taken to a hospital, police said.

Witnesses said two women ran away barefoot from the U-Haul truck after the crash. No arrests have been made.

“Turn yourselves in or they will find you. There is video of all of this,” said Michael Abbate, a longtime friend of Opiela. “You didn’t just ruin your lives, you ruined our lives now too.”

Opiela’s friends are now mourning his death. “I love him. We miss him,” Abbate said.

Abbate said Opiela battled with his health and could not sleep.

“He was going to get coffee or something. Either he was going to the Mobil or coming back when he was struck,” Abbate said.

Abbate described Opiela as a “wonderful man” who was “sweet, humble” and “quiet.” The friend said Opiela would often do odd jobs to help people out.

“Would give you the shirt off his back. That’s the type of person he was,” Abbate said.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org , downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Finn Hoogensen is a digital journalist who has covered local news for more than five years. He has been with PIX11 News since 2022. See more of his work here .

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