By Naeisha Rose
Gabriella Nuel, 19, of Queens Village died in a hit-and-run last month in Jamaica after a car crashed into the livery cab in which she was riding, according to authorities.
A second vehicle that was speeding, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, struck the woman; the 20-year-old male operator of the cab and a 23-year-old male passenger, at the intersection of Archer Avenue and Guy R. Brewer Boulevard May 24.
“This was a horrible collision that could have easily been prevented,” said Brown.
The defendant is Alfaheed Odesanya, 19, of Ozone Park, who has been charged with criminally negligent homicide and leaving the scene of the crime, according to the criminal complaint, which said he admitted speeding.
The complaint alleged that the defendant said he “was driving between 55 and 60 mph,” and “saw the light was yellow and then turned red and continued driving through the intersection.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Vision Zero View website depicts the area in question as having a 25 mph speed limit.
Odesanya was operating a 2018 white Mercedes Benz at about 11:05 p.m. on May 24 and was going northbound on Guy R. Brewer Boulevard toward Archer Avenue, according to the complaint. While traveling at a high rate of speed, he drove through a steady red light and struck the passenger side of the cab, a 2015 Hyundai that was traveling eastbound on Archer Avenue, it said.
After the collision, the defendant tried to flee the scene but was apprehended shortly thereafter and also admitted he “was scared and didn’t know what to do, so [he] took off running,” according to the complaint.
“The defendant in this case is alleged to have exceeded the speed limit and then continued through a solid red light. The car crashed into another vehicle – killing the passenger in that car and injuring the driver and another passenger,” said Brown.
The second passenger and the cab operator were taken to Jamaica Hospital for possible spinal fractures, and for neck and back injuries, but both were in stable condition, according to the NYPD.
Nuel, who was a rear seat passenger in the cab, as taken to Jamaica Hospital for head trauma, but died from her injuries, according to police.
Odesanya could face up to seven years in prison if convicted, according to Brown.
“The defendant now faces a lengthy term of incarceration,” said Brown.
Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose
