Far Rockaway teen charged after violent group attack on Malba homeowner during late‑night car meetup
QUEENS, NY – A 19‑year‑old Far Rockaway man has been charged with gang assault, riot, and related offenses in connection with a violent attack on a Malba homeowner and his wife during an illegal late‑night car meetup that erupted into chaos on November 23.
Justin Aguilera was arraigned on multiple felony and misdemeanor counts after investigators identified him as one of several individuals who beat a homeowner who had stepped outside to tell a crowd of more than ten people to leave the front of his property on 11th Avenue shortly after 12:40 a.m.
According to investigators, the homeowner saw multiple cars performing tire‑spinning maneuvers in the street, generating smoke and blocking traffic in the residential community. When he and his wife walked onto their lawn to tell the crowd to leave, a group of six to eight individuals approached them. One person reportedly threatened to kill the homeowner before another punched him, sending him to the ground.
Detectives say at least six or seven individuals, including Aguilera, then punched, kicked, and stomped on the homeowner. His wife was struck in the mouth after attempting to push attackers away.
The victim was treated at a local hospital for significant injuries, including rib fractures, fractures to the glenoid cavity and scapula, thyroid cartilage damage, a broken nasal bone, and swelling to the back of his head. The group fled before police arrived.
Hours later, around 3:53 a.m., a police officer stopped Aguilera near Union Turnpike and Utopia Parkway for driving a white Chevy Silverado with an obstructed license plate and unlit taillights. Clothing he wore during the stop matched that seen in surveillance footage from the assault. He was arrested at the time on separate vehicle‑related charges.
Following a detailed review of surveillance video from the assault, Aguilera was identified as a participant and was apprehended in Far Rockaway on Thursday. He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top count.
He is due back in court on December 10 as the investigation continues to identify the remaining individuals involved in the attack.
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Key Points
- A Far Rockaway man was charged with gang assault and riot after a homeowner and his wife were attacked in Malba
- The victim sustained multiple fractures after being punched, kicked, and stomped by a group
- Surveillance footage led investigators to identify 19‑year‑old Justin Aguilera as a participant
