U-hall drivertruck indicted for hit-and-run crash in queens

QUEENS, N.Y. — A Queens woman has been indicted on manslaughter and other charges for allegedly striking and killing a pedestrian with a U-Haul truck before fleeing the scene, while her passenger faces charges related to identity theft and stolen property, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday.

Jamie Ferreira, 37, was behind the wheel of a rented 2015 Ford U-Haul box truck when she struck 56-year-old David Opiela, who was standing on the sidewalk along Horace Harding Expressway on August 20, 2024, according to prosecutors. Ferreira then crashed into a light pole and another vehicle before she and her passenger, Jennifer Sablan, 43, fled the scene on foot.

Investigators later identified Ferreira as the driver after DNA recovered from the truck’s airbag matched her profile.

A search of the abandoned vehicle revealed stolen credit cards, a forged postal service key, a counterfeit $100 bill, and notebooks containing the personal and financial information of multiple individuals. Authorities also linked Ferreira to a burglary at an Elmhurst apartment building in June, where she allegedly stole mail using a fraudulent postal key.

Ferreira has been charged in a 77-count indictment, including manslaughter, burglary, criminal possession of a forged instrument, and multiple traffic offenses. If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in prison for manslaughter and potentially 25 years to life for burglary. Sablan, who was arraigned Wednesday, faces up to 15 years in prison for her role in the alleged crimes.

Both defendants are scheduled to appear in court on March 13 as authorities continue to investigate their alleged involvement in additional offenses.

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