By Alexander Dworkowitz
Rosa Viquez came to Queens from Costa Rica to earn money and possibly a better life for her family.
But last week, the Jamaica Estates housekeeper's dreams came to a sudden end.
Viquez, 48, was killed in a drunk-driving accident when a gray Ford van slammed into her outside her Flushing church last Thursday evening, police said.
Just minutes before striking Viquez, the driver of the van, Anthony Neville, had hit another woman, authorities said. That woman, Penny Douma of Flushing, was taken to Flushing Hospital Medical Center in stable condition, authorities said.
Neville, who lives in Flushing, later admitted to detectives that he had hit both women, according to the criminal complaint. He also told the authorities that he had consumed seven beers before driving, the complaint said.
Neville had a blood alcohol level of .19, nearly twice the legal limit, the complaint said.
After attending services at Salon del Reino de los Testigos de Jehova at 47-67 Colden St., Viquez was entering her Volkswagen with her daughter at about 9:45 p.m. when Neville clipped the vehicle, hitting Viquez, authorities said.
Viquez was rushed to New York Hospital Medical Center Queens, where she was pronounced dead, police said.
Shocked churchgoers told police they saw the van traveling at “a very high rate of speed” when it hit Viquez, the complaint said.
Minutes earlier, Neville's vehicle hit Douma, 31, at the intersection of 149th Street and 38th Avenue, about a mile away from the other incident, police said.
Douma was knocked to her knees with a tear to the cartilage in her knee and a cut on her leg, the complaint said.
Neville stopped, left his car and watched as Douma tried to stand, the complaint said. Instead of offering help or his insurance information, Neville hopped back in the van and fled the scene, authorities said.
Douma, however, managed to remember Neville's license number, telling it to the police, authorities said.
Neville was arrested at 2 a.m. at his home, authorities said.
More than four hours after the two accidents, Detective Mickey Soo of the 109th Precinct noticed Neville was unsteady on his feet, had a strong smell of alcohol on his breath, bloodshot watery eyes and slurred speech, the complaint said.
Neville's attorney could not be reached for comment.
Neville was arraigned in front of State Supreme Court Justice Pauline Mullings in Kew Gardens Friday.
He was charged with vehicular manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, vehicular assault, leaving the scene of an accident and driving under the influence of alcohol.
Neville faces up to seven years in prison if convicted and is being held on $250,000 bail, a spokeswoman for the Queens district attorney said.
For the last four years, Viquez lived in the basement of Almerinda Torto's 188th Street house in Jamaica Estates where she worked as a housekeeper, Torto said.
“She came alone to find work,” Torto said in Italian.
Viquez's daughter came to join her in the house. Viquez worked to raise money so her daughter, who now attends Queensborough Community College, could live a better life, Torto said.
“She was a very good, very respectable woman,” Torto said.
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300 Ext. 141.
