Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Driver Accused Of Drunkenly Running Over 4 People Outside Bay Ridge Nightclub Claims Self-Defense
By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 3, 2013
Modified Jan 3, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Courtesy Gabriel Wingman / Facebook
By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 3, 2013
Modified Jan 3, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The Staten Island man accused of running over four people with his car during a brawl outside a Bay Ridge nightclub on New Year's says he acted in self-defense. Charles Amado, 34, is charged with vehicular assault, DWI, and reckless driving after he allegedly floored his 2012 Acura into a crowd of revelers, sending four people to the hospital. One victim is still hospitalized in grave condition. But Amado insists he had no choice, because he was being chased by a mob after a dispute over bottle service... which is the root of all evil, so we're inclined to believe him.
Amado and his girlfriend, Andrea Jobity, 39, were partying at the controversial 93 Lounge in Bay Ridge on New Year's Eve when he says someone swiped an expensive bottle of Grey Goose vodka off his table. He claims that the bartender gave him a new bottle after he complained, but then that bottle was stolen as well. This time he caught the thief, and a fight broke out inside the club that spilled out into the street.
“These people were coming after them with bats, bottles, you name it. So he took off in his car,” Amado's lawyer tells the Post. “Mr. Amado says that he would have been in a coma or dead if he had stuck around.” After allegedly running people over and turning the sidewalk red with blood, Jobity allegedly got behind the wheel and tried to drive away. But she doesn't have a license, and was either two drunk or inexperienced to operate the vehicle, and ended up crashing into parked cars.
"Charles Amado and Andrea Jobity got into their car and drove headfirst into a crowd,” ADA Theresa Shanahan tells the tabloid. “Charles Amado then passed out and Andrea Jobity took the wheel. She reversed and hit more parked cars, then she passed out as well.” When told of the explanation provided by Amado's lawyer, one of the victim said, "That’s bullshit... Everybody was trying to run away and he just accelerated forward. He hit me and then he reversed back. I was bleeding."
Meanwhile, the incident has renewed community efforts to shut down 93 Lounge. Locals say patrons openly consume drugs and have sex outside the nightclub, and since 2010, the city Dept. of Buildings has issued 28 violations totaling $190,800 in fines to the club. In October, neighbors said they heard gunfire outside the club, and Community Board 10 district manager Josephine Beckmann says she's been inundated with complaints. “This is just not acceptable,” Beckmann tells the Daily News. “When you have an establishment that doesn’t control crowds outside of the establishment, that’s a problem.”
Tagged
bay ridge
dwi
lounge 93
new year's eve
nye
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
A reliably Republican part of NJ, until ICE came to town
The Trump administration’s plan to convert a warehouse in Roxbury into an ICE detention center has upended local politics ahead of the midterm elections.
By
Mike Hayes
Published Oct 20, 2026 at 6:30 a.m. ET
NYC school integration debate exposes tensions between Black parents and Mamdani
Some see a blind spot when it comes to the representation of Black New Yorkers in Mamdani's administration and agenda.
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC school integration debate exposes tensions between Black parents and Mamdani
Some see a blind spot when it comes to the representation of Black New Yorkers in Mamdani's administration and agenda.
By
Elizabeth Kim
Queens man charged with hate crime at Jewish-owned bagel shop displaying Israeli flags
By
Giulia Heyward
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
By
Stephen Nessen
High-ranking NYC officials to testify in ex-buildings boss Eric Ulrich's corruption trial
By
David Brand
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .