By Courtney Dentch
Jonny Pinedo, 23, and his longtime friend Mario Chavez, 21, started wrestling with each other after Chavez asked for some of Pinedo's soup, but Chavez fell unconscious when Pinedo allegedly put him in a choke hold, police said.Chavez was brought to nearby Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said.Pinedo was arrested Saturday morning at his East Elmhurst home, police said.After being charged with criminally negligent homicide, Pinedo was arraigned in State Supreme Court in Kew Gardens before Judge Joel Blumenfeld, who set bail at $7,500, a spokeswoman for Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said. Chavez lived in Corona with his family and was an avid handball player, said Jose Garcia, Chavez's stepbrother. He and Pinedo spent Friday evening playing handball at Frank D. O'Connor Playground across from Elmhurst Hospital Center, Garcia said.”That's why he was over there,” he said. “That's why he was in the park.”The two began drinking beers as they played, and by the time Pinedo stopped to buy noodle soup at a deli near the park about 10:30 p.m., they were already drunk, police said. Chavez asked for some of the soup and the two began fighting, police said.The pair continued to jostle and argue over the soup in the park and Pinedo caught Chavez in a choke hold. When he realized his friend was unconscious, he allegedly fled, police said.Chavez was taken to Elmhurst Hospital, but it was too late to revive him, police said.A wake and cremation were planned for Monday night at Rivera Funeral Home in Corona, Garcia said.Chavez had been working in a restaurant in Times Square, Garcia said. His family was shocked by his death, his stepbrother said.”Sometimes when people drink, things happen,” Garcia said. “The police told us the news, that he was in a fight over soup and they strangled him. We couldn't believe it.”Reach reporter Courtney Dentch by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
