Teen killed by remote control helicopter

NEW YORK — A teenager operating a remote control helicopter in a New York City park has been struck in the head by it and killed.

Police say 19-year-old Roman Pirozek Jr. died Thursday afternoon near a parkway in Brooklyn. They say he suffered a severe head injury.

Enthusiasts are allowed to operate model aircraft in designated parts of Calvert Vaux Park, which features a playground, basketball courts and baseball diamonds.

Pirozek’s father is the vice president of the Seaview Rotary Wings Helicopter Club, which organizes flights in the park. He hasn’t responded to requests for comment.

A spokesman for the Muncie, Ind.-based Academy of Model Aeronautics says he believes Pirozek’s death is only the second death caused by a remote control helicopter in the United States.