FAR ROCKAWAY, NY – A 29-year-old woman was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the 2022 hit-and-run that killed 59-year-old Milton Storch, who was sitting on his walker outside a deli when he was struck.
Prosecutors said the driver, Kiani Phoenix, accelerated her car toward another woman during an argument but instead hit Storch and then another pedestrian before fleeing.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the sentence Friday, saying Phoenix’s actions showed “a deadly decision to get behind the wheel” and use her vehicle as a weapon.
Key Points
- Kiani Phoenix, 29, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter for the death of Milton Storch.
- Phoenix struck Storch and another pedestrian during a 2022 hit-and-run after a dispute outside a deli.
- She was sentenced to 18 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision.
Argument outside deli turns deadly
According to prosecutors, the confrontation began around 7 a.m. on August 27, 2022, outside a deli at 601 Beach 20th Street. Phoenix and a 27-year-old woman began arguing inside the store before taking the dispute outside, where bystanders intervened to separate them.
Among those watching was Storch, seated on his walker in front of the deli. After the altercation ended, Phoenix got into her Honda Accord, shifted into reverse, and sharply turned toward the woman she had been fighting with.
Innocent bystander struck and killed
As Phoenix accelerated, several people ran for safety, but Storch was unable to move from his spot on the sidewalk and was struck. Prosecutors said Phoenix then reversed, hitting a 36-year-old man before speeding away from the scene.
Storch was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The second victim was treated for back and hip injuries.
Defendant pleads guilty to manslaughter
Phoenix, of Beach Channel Drive, pleaded guilty on October 9 to first-degree manslaughter in full satisfaction of all charges. Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder imposed the sentence of 18 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.
District attorney calls for accountability behind the wheel
District Attorney Katz said she hopes the sentence offers a measure of closure for Storch’s family. “An innocent man seated in a walker could not escape her path and lost his life,” Katz said. “We cannot undo what happened, but this conviction ensures accountability for a senseless and violent act.”