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The incident took place on Beach 20th Street near New Haven Avenue in Far Rockaway.
By Forum Staff
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Wednesday that Kiani Phoenix, 26, has been charged with allegedly driving her car onto the sidewalk and fatally striking a 59-year-old man and another pedestrian outside a Far Rockaway deli convenience store on Saturday.
Phoenix allegedly intended to strike a woman with whom she had a dispute and drove onto the Beach 20th Street sidewalk where the victim was sitting on his walker. Phoenix then backed up, allegedly hit another pedestrian, and sped away from the scene of the incident.
Phoenix, of Beach Channel Drive was arraigned Tuesday night on a complaint charging her with murder in the second degree, attempted murder in the second degree, assault in the second degree, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.
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“The alleged criminal actions of this defendant resulted in fatal consequences, and she will now face justice in our courts,” DA Katz said.
According to the charges, on Saturday, at approximately 7 a.m., the defendant encountered the first victim, a 27-year-old woman at a convenience store on Beach 20th Street near New Haven
Avenue in Far Rockaway. The two women argued and became embroiled in a physical altercation outside the convenience store near a parked Honda Accord. Several onlookers watched the women including second victim, Milton Storch, seated on his walker with his back against the deli wall. Several onlookers attempted to separate the women and they stopped striking one another.
Video surveillance footage shows the fatal collision. The defendant entered the driver’s seat of the Honda Accord, moved the car in reverse then turned sharply to the right allegedly at and toward the first victim, accelerating forward onto the sidewalk. Several people, including the first victim, darted from the path of the car escaping inside the deli. The defendant drove forward striking Storch, who was unable to rise from his walker. The car then stopped and accelerated in reverse hitting a 36-year-old pedestrian behind the car. The defendant then sped away from the scene of the incident.
Storch was taken to a local Queens hospital where he was pronounced deceased. A second man was taken to the hospital and treated for back and hip injuries.
“As alleged, this defendant is accused of killing an innocent man on the sidewalk and injuring another victim in an attempt to harm someone else with her vehicle following a heated argument,” Katz said. “The alleged criminal actions of this defendant resulted in fatal consequences, and she will now face justice in our courts.”
If convicted, Phoenix faces 25 years to life in prison.
