Chokehold by Queens deli workers after crispy fries dispute leaves customer on life support

A customer at a Queens deli was badly beaten and put in a chokehold by workers in a clash over his french fries not being crispy enough, police sources said Monday.

Two workers at Pickles & Pies Food Market & Deli in Rockaway Park have been arrested for felony assault — and prosecutors say the deli’s surveillance cameras were tampered with in the wake of the beatdown.

The workers are claiming self-defense and say the victim falsely claimed to have a gun. But a witness told cops he never heard the victim mention a firearm, prosecutors said.

Victim James Patrick Keena was with his girlfriend when he placed an order for crispy fries and an egg sandwich with soggy bacon at the popular deli on Beach 116th St. in Rockaway Park around 5:10 a.m. Sunday, police sources said.

Unhappy that workers pulled the fries out of the fryer before they became crispy enough, he demanded they remake his order, according to police sources.

Tensions quickly escalated, with the workers trying to boot Keena out of the store. One later denied to cops a claim he had threatened to “piss in” Keena’s fries.

Keena hit his head on a counter after worker Jorge Hernandez allegedly shoved him, then grabbed Keena around the neck — cutting off his air supply — and pinned him to the floor. Co-worker Saber Abuhamra repeatedly kicked and punched Keena in the head and stomach while he was down, according to court papers.

An alarmed witness took a photo of Hernandez holding the victim in a chokehold, according to prosecutors.

The chokehold and beatdown went on for several minutes after Keena lost consciousness, a witness told police. Keena started seizing up, convulsing and bleeding from the mouth as the crazed assault continued, the witness said.

Keena, 31, lost consciousness for nine hours after the attack, according to prosecutors.

“This is yet another instance where a seemingly minor dispute escalated into serious physical violence,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “We will hold these defendants accountable.”

Keena, a father of two, was put on a ventilator at a hospital but later taken off and expected to recover, according to his cousin, lawyer and former NYPD cop Joe Murray.

Police arrested Hernandez, 23, and Abuhamra, 34, at the scene. Both are charged with felony assault and strangulation

The workers contend Keena told them he had a gun. No weapon was recovered. A lawyer for one of the workers described Keena as “an irate customer” who routinely shows up at the deli “inebriated.”

Murray strongly disputed that account.

“A great guy, has a heart of gold, wouldn’t hurt a fly unless somebody messed with him,” Murray told the Daily News. “I’d take that to the bank.

“He’s a kind, gentle person who would not hurt anyone unless he threatened him, or someone else.”

Still wearing their deli shirts, the workers were ordered held on $30,000 bail during their Monday morning arraignment in Queens Criminal Court.

The deli’s video surveillance system appears to have been compromised, Assistant District Attorney Robin Kwalbrun said in court, noting police found the system ripped out of the wall and the witness said he saw the cashier turn it off when the fight started.

“What does that tell you?” Murray said of the video situation.

“It seems obvious to me they did this because they wanted to have their way with him,” he added. “It’s the biggest mistake of their life, because now they have to deal with the rest of us. We have a big family in Rockaway and they’re going to have to deal with the rest of us.”

Hernandez claimed he was only trying to protect himself — and the customer.

“I don’t want to hurt nobody. I want to protect myself,” prosecutors say Hernandez told cops after being taken into custody.

“I had my arm around his chest and the neck. I used my other hand to hold him in place. He stopped fighting. He wasn’t resisting. I was trying to protect him because the other guy [Abuhamra] was punching him.

“When I punched him, he didn’t fall down,” Hernandez added. “He tried to punch me back, and I tried to control him. I never tried to hit him.”

Abuhamra told cops he was trying to play peacemaker with the victim.

“I came out and tried to calm him down,” Abuhamra told police. “He says he has a gun.”

Abuhamra’s lawyer said his client saw Keena with his hands in his pants and was convinced the customer was about to pull out a gun. The lawyer also said Abuhamra’s hands show no indication he punched Keena.

“He has no marks on his fists,” she said, claiming he was trying to help the victim.

A lawyer for Abuhamra claimed in court that Keena “was drunk and possibly high and was causing a scene.” She said Abuhamra lives above the deli and has been in the service industry 18 years and has never been arrested.

“He believed that his life was threatened,” the lawyer said of Abuhamra. “He did fear for his life.”

Pickles & Pies was open like normal Monday. Workers there said during the day they have little interaction with the overnight crew involved in the clash.

“We don’t know nothing,” one employee said. “We want to know what’s going on ourself. The police took all the videos, everything. They know.”

Hernandez’s father said his son was still in jail and he hadn’t been able to speak with police about the incident.

“It’s very bad,” said the parent, who declined to give his name.

Regular customers were shocked to hear of the clash.

“I’ve been in there hundreds of times,” said Paul Major, 68. “I’ve never seen an alarming thing happen in there. ... They’ve always been courteous. There hasn’t ever been a fight.”

Murray denounced the “cowardly, cowardly” attack on his cousin.

“Two on one, holding him down, beating on him, then they destroyed the camera so no one can see what they did,” he fumed. “They’re going to pay for this.”

With Ellen Moynihan and Colin Mixson