A Richmond Hill man is facing up to 25 years in prison on vehicular homicide and DWI charges after he allegedly caused a fatal collision that took the lives of two South Ozone Park men last month, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Tamir Khan, 22, of 117th Street, was arraigned July 17 in Queens Supreme Court on an 18-count indictment charging him with aggravated vehicular homicide, two counts of manslaughter in the second degree, vehicular manslaughter in the first degree, two counts of vehicle manslaughter in the second degree, two counts of assault in the second degree, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, two counts of criminally negligent homicide, two counts of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving, driving in excess of the maximum speed limit, failing to stop at a sign and two counts of operating a motor vehicle with a tinted window.
According to the charges, on the morning of June 5, at around 4:24 a.m., Khan was behind the wheel of a gray Audi A4 northbound on 117th Street at a high rate of speed and blew through a stop sign at the intersection with 111th Avenue in Richmond Hill.
Khan struck a silver 2001 Toyota Camry heading westbound on 111th Avenue and continued driving. The Camry spun and crashed into a utility pole. Khan returned to the crash location approximately 30 minutes after the collision and admitted to driving the vehicle.
The driver of the Camry, John Inderdeo, 64, of 128th Street in South Ozone Park, was rushed by EMS to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where was pronounced dead later that morning. Inderdeo’s passenger and neighbor, Charles Harris, 71, of 128th Street in South Ozone Park, who was being driven to work, was also transported by EMS to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries and died the next day from head and chest injuries sustained in the collision.
According to the charges, an intoxilyzer exam given to Khan approximately two hours after the crash indicated that he had a blood alcohol content of .09%, which was above the DWI threshold of .08%.
The Audi’s windshield was tinted and had a light transmittance of 37% and the light transmittance on the front driver’s side window was 17%. Neither met the legal threshold of 70% or greater, according to the indictment.
“This young man’s alleged reckless actions have left the families of two victims devastated,” Katz said. “My office will hold accountable those who choose to disregard the rules of the road including by getting behind the wheel while intoxicated, speeding, ignoring traffic signs and even driving with tinted windows.”
Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise set a return date for Sept. 7. If convicted, Khan faces up to 25 years imprisonment.
