MTA gives final salute to officer killed on duty

Fellow MTA officers gave a final salute to one of their own after he was killed in the line of duty.  Bridges and Tunnels Officer Thomas Choi died Dec. 29 from injuries he sustained when he was struck

News 12 Staff

Jan 10, 2015, 4:02 AM

Updated 3,638 days ago

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Fellow MTA officers gave a final salute to one of their own after he was killed in the line of duty. 
Bridges and Tunnels Officer Thomas Choi died Dec. 29 from injuries he sustained when he was struck by a car while on duty back in Oct. 2013. He is the first MTA officer killed on the job in 41 years. 
Officials say Choi was reopening the Brooklyn-bound side of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge when he was hit, leaving him in a coma for 14 months prior to his passing. The person driving the vehicle was not charged as it was ruled an accident.
Executive Vice President James Fortunato says the MTA has since put new precautions in place to ensure similar accidents never happen again.
Dozens of officers from the MTA, NYPD and other tri-state law enforcement agencies lined the streets of Brooklyn to pay their final respects Friday to the Staten Island man, who leaves behind a wife of 35 years and three children. 
The MTA commended the 11-year veteran for his service during the funeral, and his wife described him as an avid bowler and gun enthusiast. His co-workers say he loved taking them to Chinatown to try new restaurants. 
Choi is being laid to rest at a cemetery in Westchester County.