Photo Courtesy of Google
The three-car crash occurred at the intersection of Union Turnpike and Parsons Boulevard.
By Forum Staff
Two Jamaica men have been indicted for their roles in an alcohol-fueled drag racing crash at the intersection of Union Turnpike and Parsons Boulevard that claimed the life of a Queens hospital worker in November 2020, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday.
Alamin Ahmed and Mir Fahmid, both 24, were arraigned Thursday on a 20-count indictment charging them with murder in the second degree, manslaughter in the second degree, criminally negligent homicide, assault in the second degree, reckless driving, participating in an unregulated speed contest or race and several traffic violations. Ahmed is additionally charged with vehicular manslaughter in the second degree and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Fahmid is additionally charged with leaving the scene of an incident without reporting and tampering with physical evidence. Ahmed and Fahmid were ordered to return to court on March 22.
According to the charges, in the early morning hours of Nov. 20, 2020, both men attended a party in Brooklyn to celebrate Fahmid’s birthday. After the festivities, the pair went to a gas station on Main Street and Union Turnpike to fill up. Then, the two men are seen on video surveillance posting up side by side at a red light and when the signal switched to green, they allegedly accelerated quickly racing down Union Turnpike.
Photo Courtesy of DA Katz
“You cannot use our city streets as if they were the Daytona Speedway or get behind the wheel of a car intoxicated,” DA Katz said.
Both men allegedly sped through two solid red lights. And just as the defendants were quickly approaching Parsons Boulevard, Daniel Crawford was driving southbound on Parsons Boulevard heading to work at Queens General Hospital. As Crawford, 52, entered the intersection, he was struck by both the silver Mercedes Benz Ahmed was allegedly driving and the red Honda Accord Fahmid allegedly operated.
According to the charges, the two cars—both going more than 90 mph—T-boned Mr. Crawford’s
Toyota. The Jamaica resident suffered an internal decapitation, was rushed to the same hospital where he worked, and was later pronounced dead.
The DA said that Ahmed’s vehicle was disabled in the crash and he was taken into custody by police at the scene. At that time, Ahmed allegedly showed signs of intoxication and a test administered at the crash site allegedly showed Ahmed’s blood alcohol level was .094—above the legal limit. Fahmid is accused of fleeing the scene.
“You cannot use our city streets as if they were the Daytona Speedway or get behind the wheel of a car intoxicated,” Katz said.
If convicted, Ahmed and Fahmid face up to 25 years to life in prison.
