Astoria man with suspended license charged after drunken crash pins elderly man and teen under car
Queens, NY – A 40-year-old Astoria man is facing a long list of charges after allegedly barreling through a stop sign while drunk, crashing onto a Queens sidewalk, and pinning two pedestrians beneath his car — a 72-year-old man and a 13-year-old girl — both of whom required emergency surgery.
Luis Saula Quindi was arraigned Monday in Queens Criminal Court on multiple counts of aggravated vehicular assault, vehicular assault, assault, DUI, and reckless driving. Prosecutors say the incident unfolded around 8:05 p.m. Sunday, when Quindi, behind the wheel of a 2013 Honda Accord, sped southbound on 102nd Street in Corona.
He reportedly blew past a stop sign at Martense Avenue, slammed into a parked Nissan sedan, and then jumped the curb — striking the pedestrians and pinning them under the vehicle.
Emergency responders rushed both victims to nearby hospitals. The 72-year-old man suffered a fractured shin, knee, and shoulder injury that required surgery. The 13-year-old girl underwent surgeries for abdominal and leg injuries.
Police at the scene arrested Quindi and determined he had a blood alcohol content of .25 — more than three times the legal limit. A DMV records check revealed his license was suspended at the time of the crash.
Quindi was arraigned before Judge Glenda Hernandez and ordered back to court on September 19. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
The investigation was conducted by NYPD’s 110th Precinct. The case is being prosecuted by the Queens District Attorney’s Vehicular Homicide Unit.
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Key Points
- Luis Saula Quindi is charged after allegedly driving drunk and pinning two pedestrians with his car in Corona
- A 72-year-old man and 13-year-old girl both required surgeries for serious injuries
- The defendant’s license was suspended and his blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit