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Utter chaos reigned outside XS Hookah Café early Sunday morning.
By Michael V. Cusenza
An Arverne man has been charged with stabbing two men and then intentionally driving his vehicle through a crowd on the sidewalk – striking five individuals, including one of the stabbing victims – outside of a South Richmond Hill lounge just before dawn on Sunday, according to the City Police Department and Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.
Adrian Harry, 22, was arraigned on Monday night on a criminal complaint charging him with one count of second-degree murder, one count of first-degree assault, two counts of first-degree attempted assault, five counts of second-degree assault, six counts of first-degree reckless endangerment and two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was ordered held without bail and to return to court on Jan. 4.
If convicted, Harry faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
According to the complaint, Harry was parking his white 2016 Hyundai Sonata in front of XS Hookah Café on Liberty Avenue near 127th Street around 4:30 a.m. on Sunday when he allegedly tapped the bumper of the white BMW parked directly behind him. Although it is alleged that Harry caused no damage to the bumper, the two men inside the BMW exited the vehicle and confronted him. During the subsequent altercation, Harry allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed one of the men in the torso and the other in the abdomen.
“During the ensuing dispute, involving a group of people who were outside the lounge, the white Hyundai sedan then drove from the scene and mounted the sidewalk approximately half a block away at 128th street. Six individuals were struck by the vehicle, resulting in one fatality. All of the other victims are hospitalized,” said Asst. Chief David Barrere, commanding officer of Patrol Borough Queens South.
Richardo Chattergoon, 23, reportedly a friend of Harry, was pronounced dead at the scene. According to Brown, the five other victims were transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Two of them were placed in intensive care – one victim suffered bleeding to the brain and is currently in a medically induced coma and the other suffered a fractured pelvis and trauma to the frontal lobe causing a brain bleed that will require surgery.
Brown noted that the incident allegedly was ignited by a petty parking dispute.
“What allegedly began as a minor tapping of fenders turned into a deadly pre-dawn horror show that left a young man dead and others seriously injured,” he added. “The crimes alleged here are beyond senseless and the defendant now faces a lengthy term of incarceration if convicted.”
