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Singh was behind the wheel of a 2018 Honda Accord going eastbound on Atlantic Avenue when he allegedly ran a red light and struck a Ford pick-up truck at 111th Street.
By Forum Staff
A Richmond Hill man has been charged for allegedly driving while intoxicated, running a red light and crashing into two vehicles—killing a passenger in his car last Wednesday, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Friday.
Harpreet Singh, 20, was arraigned late Wednesday night on a five-count complaint charging him with vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting injury or death, criminally negligent homicide, operating a motor vehicle while under influence of alcohol and driving by unlicensed operator.
Katz said that on April 21, at approximately 1 a.m., police responded to the scene of two car crashes. Singh was behind the wheel of a 2018 Honda Accord going eastbound on Atlantic Avenue when he allegedly ran a red light and struck a Ford pick-up truck at 111th Street. Singh continued driving and allegedly then hit a Mercedes Benz GLA250 on Atlantic Avenue.
The DA said police found Suraj Kumar, 23, unresponsive with extensive head and body injuries in the front passenger seat of the Honda Accord.
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“Without a license and allegedly intoxicated, the defendant had no business getting behind the wheel of a vehicle,” DA Katz said.
When police interviewed Singh at the scene, he allegedly gave them a fake name and stated he had been in the back seat of the Honda. Moments later, he allegedly left the scene to go to the hospital without admitting to being the driver and in fact gave police the name of a fictitious individual as the one behind the wheel.
A witness reported to police that it was Singh who had been the actual driver of the Honda.
“As alleged, the defendant’s actions created mayhem on our streets with tragic consequences. Without a license and allegedly intoxicated, the defendant had no business getting behind the wheel of a vehicle,” Katz said. “As a result of that selfish decision, a young man’s life has been cut short and two other motorists are lucky to be alive.”
If convicted, Singh faces up to seven years in prison.
