A Maspeth man was arrested on Nov. 30 and booked at the 109th Precinct in Flushing in connection with the fatal hit-and-run collision that killed a 3-year-old boy on Nov. 29.
Kevin Gomez, 20, of 60th Road in Maspeth was charged with criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene of an accident without reporting a death, and other crimes after he allegedly struck the youngster and drove off before ditching the vehicle a few blocks away, according to the NYPD.
Gomez was arraigned late Friday before Queens Criminal Court Judge Jessica Earle-Gagan. According to the criminal complaint, Gomez walked into the 109th Precinct on Thursday and told police that he was looking for his car and could not remember where he had parked in Flushing.
A preliminary investigation by the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad determined that Gomez was behind the wheel of a white four-door Infiniti Q50 sedan that was parked in a no-standing zone in front of a commercial strip near the intersection on College Point Boulevard and 41st Avenue at around 6:40 p.m. when 3-year-old Quintus Chen darted in front of his car. Gomez allegedly pulled away from the curb and hit the youngster causing him to fall onto the roadway, where he was struck by the Infiniti’s tires. As the boy’s father screamed at Gomez to stop, he drove away from the scene before ditching the car four blocks south on College Point Boulevard at Pople Avenue. According to the criminal complaint, Gomez allegedly hit the brakes after striking the child before speeding away from the scene.
EMS responded and rushed the youngster to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
An NYPD spokesman could not provide additional information on how the arrest of Gomez was effectuated, saying only that he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and driving without a license.
Assemblymember Ron Kim, who hosted a press conference Thursday following the fatal collision, divulged on social media that Gomez was driving with a learner’s permit on the night of the fatal collision.
“I want to thank all the NYPD officers involved in tracking down and apprehending the suspect to make sure he is off the road and held accountable,” Kim said Friday. “Quintus’s family feels relieved that he is caught, even as they continue to process and grieve the loss of their son. Our community will support and help them in whatever way we can as they deal with this unimaginable pain.”
Kim also announced he has launched a GoFundMe page on behalf of the Chen Family to raise $50,000 for funeral, medical, and legal bills. One of the final wishes of the family is to transport the young boy’s remains to Oklahoma, where he can be laid to rest near his grandparents.
“This is an unbearable tragedy for any family to go through. I am, once again, offering my deepest condolences to the Chen family. The pain they are enduring is unimaginable,” Kim said. “The ambitious fundraising goal of $50,000 was set with the hope that our community, and all those who wish to support the Chen family, can come together to lift them through this difficult moment.”
The fatal collision occurred just a few blocks away from the intersection of Main Street and Cherry Avenue, which was co-named “Allison Hope Liao Way” in honor of another 3-year-old child who was struck and killed by another driver from Maspeth 10 years ago.
After the death of her daughter, Amy Tam-Liang co-founded Families for Safe Streets and she and her husband, Hsi Pei Liao, joined Kim at Thursday’s press conference.
“It has been 10 years since I lost my 3-year-old daughter Allie not far from this spot where the Chen family’s son was killed,” she said. “I know the unimaginable heartache and I am outraged that another family has to experience what we have endured.”
