A man in New York has been charged with murder and other crimes after authorities say he deliberately hit a 16-year-old girl with his car. The incident reportedly happened after he sexually harassed the teen and her mother.
Edwin Cruz Gomez, 38, allegedly fled the scene in Elmhurst, Queens, around 4:10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13. He reportedly drove his “3-ton vehicle” into 16-year-old Jhoanny Alvarez, killing her, and injuring her mother and stepfather, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Katz said Gomez was with several other men outside the Prima Donna Restaurant on Roosevelt Avenue when he “began harassing the victim and her mother, offering them both money for sexual acts.”
“A verbal dispute ensued and then escalated into a physical altercation between the victim’s stepfather and the defendant,” the statement says. “Bystanders intervened and separated the men.”
After the confrontation, the teen, her mother, stepfather, and her boyfriend crossed the street. Prosecutors say Gomez then got into his Chevrolet Suburban and drove onto the sidewalk directly toward the group.
Gomez allegedly hit Alvarez, her mother, and stepfather before backing into an empty van. He then abandoned his SUV and ran away on foot.
Emergency responders pronounced the teen dead at the scene, while her mother was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Katz said Gomez later approached NYPD officers a few blocks away, claiming he had been attacked, and led them back to the crash site. His blood alcohol content was reportedly .137 percent, which is above the legal limit of .08 percent.
Gomez, from Uniondale, N.Y., was arraigned Monday on charges including second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, second-degree assault, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, and operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
If convicted, he could face more than 25 years to life in prison. He is expected to return to court on Sept. 19.
