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Witnesses Say Drag Racing Killed Two in Brooklyn, Queens
By
John Del Signore
Published Nov 30, 2010
Modified Nov 30, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Nov 30, 2010
Modified Nov 30, 2010
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Two separate drag racing incidents left two men dead in Brooklyn and Queens yesterday, according to witnesses. The first fatality happened around 10 a.m. in Ozone Park, near 78th Street on North Conduit Avenue, which cops call a hot spot for drag racers. Driver Geraud Gray, 24, of East Flatbush, lost control of his black Nissan and crashed into a pole. The Post, which has a photo of the totaled Nissan flipped over on its roof, reports that he was pronounced dead at the scene. Locals were dismayed by the fatal crash, but not surprised.
"This street is a deathtrap," neighbor Jodie Pellegrino tells the Daily News. "I wouldn't even walk my dog on this street. I'm petrified." Another witness saw the immediate aftermath of the crash on his way to work, and tells the Post, "The car was smoking. All you saw were desperate hands, coming out, waving for help. The impact was so bad, we tried to help everyone but didn't know where to start." Gray's 18-year-old passenger was taken to Brookdale hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. Witnesses say two other cars sped by just moments before Gray lost control of his vehicle, but police tell the Post they don't think the crash was a result of drag racing.
And in Brooklyn last night, a 25-year-old yeshiva student was killed when his car was struck by a drag racing drunk driver, one witness tells the Daily News. The unidentified victim was driving north on Ocean Avenue near Avenue N around 11:30 p.m. when he was hit head-on by a black Volkswagen that crossed the double yellow line. He was pronounced dead at Maimonides Hospital. The driver of the other vehicle and his female passenger were taken to the same hospital with—you guessed it—minor injuries. Police say the suspect's blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit of .08, and he'll be charged with DWI and vehicular manslaughter. A witness tells the News that before the crash, he saw people in two other cars alongside the suspect "talking about racing, but then they started speaking in Russian so I didn't understand."
Tagged
brooklyn
drag racing
dwi
ozone park
queens
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.
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