Manhattan driver who killed Gramercy Park pedestrian and hurt 4 had been drinking all day, starting with boozy brunch: prosecutors
A Manhattan drunken driver went on a day-long bender before killing a pedestrian and injuring four other victims more than seven hours after his first drink at a Sunday brunch, prosecutors charged Tuesday.
Mahbub Ali, 26, was ordered held on $300,000 bail for the wild Sunday evening crash that sent Gramercy Park pedestrians scrambling for cover and left victims scattered along the street — including the dead 23-year-old.
The defendant climbed behind the wheel after starting his drunken spree at a noontime brunch and never stopped before the 7:30 p.m. crash, said Assistant District Attorney Taylor Maurer during Ali’s Manhattan Criminal Court arraignment.
“[Ali] admitted to going out drinking all day and to driving after,” Maurer said. “Because of [his] decision to drink and drive, there are now four individuals who suffered physical injury, two of whom needed surgery, and one 23-year-old man who is dead.”
Two hours after the wreck on Third Ave. near E. 21st St., Ali’s blood alcohol level was .158, nearly twice the legal limit. Authorities said the Queens resident went to a second location after brunch and continued his boozing.
A source with knowledge of the case said the NYPD was investigating whether the defendant was trying to avoid a bicyclist before the catastrophic crash.
“This was a tragic accident and it has impacted the lives of several families,” said defense attorney Steven Epstein. “We’re remorseful for the results of this accident but ask that everyone keep in mind that not all accidents result in criminal responsibility, even tragic ones like this.”
Victim Abdulhekim Esiyok, 23, was crossing Third Ave. near E. 21st St. when Ali slammed into him, with freelance journalist George Colli rushing to the victim’s aid after hearing the crash.
“I held his hand and he was gone,” said Colli, who found the victim in a fetal position alongside a crumpled metal trash can. “Me and another woman prayed over him. It gave me some kind of comfort.”
Colli, who knew members of the dead man’s family, recognized Esiyok from a local church group where he was a volunteer. The Turkish immigrant was staying at a nearby shelter near where he was struck, Colli said.
“He was a very hard worker,” said Colli. “He came here to work and send money to his family back home.”
Four others were hurt in the crash that left debris, including broken bits of a bicycle, scattered over half a block.
Zipping uptown on Third Ave., Ali’s Hyundai Sonata struck Esiyok in the marked crosswalk at E. 21st St., then swerved right and hit an 18-year-old man turning onto the avenue on his e-bike, police said.
Ali then mounted the sidewalk, his car’s right tires hitting two more pedestrians, a 21-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman, before slamming into a parked and unoccupied NYPD van.
“I was just crossing the street when I heard a bang,” a nearby resident who identified himself as Robert told the Daily News on Monday. “There was a scary sound, a lot of commotion, a lot of screaming. You knew right away something was wrong.”
“You saw people on the ground triage kind of instantly and pieces of car mixed with bike strewn all over the ground,” he added.
Ali was caught on surveillance camera striking the NYPD vehicle, a garbage can and a light pole, according to court papers. A 25-year-old woman in the passenger seat of Ali’s car suffered a leg injury.
Esiyok was “thrown in the air for a significant distance” when Ali rammed into him, Maurer said.
Medics rushed all the victims to Bellevue Medical Center, where Esiyok died.
More than $6,000 has been raised on a GoFundMe post for Esiyok’s family.
Ali, in a white T-shirt and jeans, was standing outside his mangled car when taken into custody, cops said. It was his first arrest.
The fatal crash came one day before Queens two men were killed in an alleged drunken driving collision shortly before sunrise Monday. The suspect admitted plowing into the other vehicle after ignoring a stop sign, authorities charged Tuesday.
