GLOBE-TROTTING surfer who moved to the city just months ago was killed early Monday when he tripped on some trash and fell into the path of a city garbage truck, police said.
Andrew Schoonover, 31, was crossing E. 84th St. in Manhattan about 1:20 a.m. when he was struck and killed by the Department of Sanitation vehicle.
The truck driver remained on the scene and was not charged.
The popular pizzeria Two Boots received a summons for a sidewalk obstruction. A manager had no comment.
Schoonover grew up in Florida and moved to Brooklyn nine months ago to pursue a career as an artist and a designer, his family said.
He and his sister were out at a lower Manhattan bar Sunday afternoon, watching the Jacksonville Jaguars game. When it was over, she went home and he stayed out.
"She didn't want to stay out too late. They parted ways somewhere near 14th St.," said the victim's cousin Jesse Hulcher, 32.
It was unclear why Schoonover went to the upper East Side.
Since moving to the city, Schoonover had been doing design work for an Internet T-shirt company and taking classes.
"Andy had been doing a lot of traveling and lived in areas just so he could surf," Hulcher said.
"He lived in Florida, California, New Zealand, Australia and traveled to Asia and Africa.
"He wanted to take a break from the surfing and get more professional by learning professional skills for design."
The cousin said Schoonover was a "pretty much your average guy."
"He was a very sweet guy," he said. "He went out with his sister a lot and her friends and was working."
After he was hit by the truck, Schoonover was rushed to New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Hours after the crash, three bags of garbage and a battered chair were still sitting at the accident scene, and six bags and a stack of cardboard were left near the curb across the street.
A worker at a deli said that Second Ave. subway construction has forced businesses to leave garbage on the streetcorners instead of in front of their stores.
Sanitation workers issued a summons to one business on the block that had trash on the street.
A worker at a deli said that Second Ave. subway construction has forced businesses to leave garbage on the streetcorners instead of in front of their stores.
Hours after the crash, three bags of garbage and a battered old chair were still sitting at the accident scene, and six bags and a stack of cardboard were left near the curb across the street.
Hulcher said Schoonover's sister — who was too distraught to speak — had been concerned about traffic safety in the city.
"I think people drive with a pretty cavalier attitude, and traffic in metropolitan areas, especially New York City, is dangerous," he said.
"It could've been me. It could've been you."
Hulcher said Schoonover's sister — who was too distraught to speak — had been concerned about traffic safety in the city.
"I think people drive with a pretty cavalier attitude, and traffic in metropolitan areas, especially New York City, is dangerous," he said.
"It could've been me. It could've been you."
With Jennifer H. Cunningham
cboyle@nydailynews.com
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