A grand jury this week indicted a Jamaica man after he was arrested for allegedly driving into and fatally striking a good Samaritan who offering roadside assistance near JFK Airport in January.
Kevin Drawhorne, 27, was arrested and arraigned on a seven count indictment charging him with criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene of an incident, operating a car without a license, driving with tinted windows and speeding on Wednesday, March 3, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
If convicted, Drawhorne faces up to seven years in prison.
On Jan. 29, around 8 p.m., the driver of a Dodge Caravan began to experience mechanical issues with his car while driving on the Nassau Expressway near North Hangar Road, Katz said.
The driver pulled off to the left side of the road and Michael Agurkis, who was behind the wheel of an Audi A6, pulled over in front of the Dodge to offer assistance, according to the charges.
As the two men assessed the problem, Drawhorne allegedly came speeding down the roadway, driving around 70 mph, the charges state. Drawhorne, who was operating a Ford Econoline van, crashed into the Dodge, and hit both men, according to Katz.
He then allegedly drove off without calling 911 or checking to see if the two men were alright.
EMS personnel arrived to find Agurkis with severe injuries to torso. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he later died as a result his injuries. The other driver hurt his leg in the crash but refused medical attention at the scene.
“A man who was doing a good deed – helping another driver with car trouble – was senselessly killed by another motorist allegedly driving at a high rate of speed,” Katz said. “That driver allegedly fled the scene. He did not call 911. He did not stop to help. This kind of behavior is not only callous, but also criminal and the defendant now faces serious charges.”
Queens Supreme Court Justice John Zoll ordered Drawhorne to return to court on March 16.
