20 THE QUEENS COURIER • YEAR IN REVIEW • DECEMBER 30, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
year in review
Queens’ top stories from August 2021
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@schnepsmedia.com
@jenna_bagcal
Over the summer, some of our most
memorable stories included the opening
of new supportive housing in Far Rockaway,
Sunnyside businesses that fell victim to a
four-alarm fi re and the return of world-class
food to the U.S. Open.
For these stories and more, check out our
list of top stories in August.
Ozone Park man gets up to a
decade in jail for fatal Woodhaven
Boulevard hit-and-run
Back in August, an Ozone Park man was
sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for
manslaughter in a hit-and-run that killed
a man on Woodhaven Boulevard in July
2019, according to Queens District Attorney
Melinda Katz.
Th e suspect, 29-year-old David Garcia of
97th Avenue, pleaded guilty to manslaughter
in the second degree. In July of 2019, Garcia
was traveling southbound on Woodhaven
Boulevard in a black BMW and was reportedly
speeding. Th e report said that at one
point, the suspect hit speeds as high as 92
miles per hour.
Garcia drove through the intersection at
91st Avenue as the light turned red. He
reportedly hit 56-year-old Sivananaitha
Perumal, 56, who was crossing Woodhaven
Boulevard on his way to his job at Dunkin’
Donuts.
Th e impact killed Perumal and Garcia fl ed
the scene but reports said he was arrested
two weeks later.
“Th e defendant’s blatant disregard of the
rules of the road resulted in a family’s tragic
loss of a hardworking father and husband,”
Katz said. “Th e sentence imposed
today by the court brings a measure of justice
and punishes this defendant for his selfish
choices while driving on the streets of
Queens County.”
Sunnyside businesses damaged
in four-alarm blaze
Several businesses in Sunnyside were victims
of a four-alarm fi re on Th ursday, Aug.
12. It was reported that the early morning
blaze damaged multiple businesses along
Queens Boulevard.
Sources said that the fi re began around
7:25 a.m. at Taiyo Foods, a popular Japanese
market at 45-08 44th St. FDNY arrived at the
scene within four minutes.
Th e fl ames then spread next door to
Yeserith Esthetics and then to Mad Cafe
near the elevated 7 train. Within an hour,
the blaze was classifi ed as a four-alarm fi re.
More than 200 fi refi ghters and EMS personnel
responded to the scene, using fi ve hose
lines to battle the fi re, which they got under
control around 9:45 a.m.
Other restaurants that were damaged
include Mad for Chicken and Bajeko
Sekuna, a Nepalese restaurant, were damaged
during the fi re, similar to a 2018 fi re a
block away that destroyed other Sunnyside
establishments.
No one was inside the buildings at the
time but three fi refi ghters were injured at
the scene.
“FDNY members had an approximate
four-minute response time to the scene. We
had fi re in the Japanese restaurant to start
with smoke pushing out. We started with
an aggressive interior attack. Fire quickly
spread to other occupancies in the building.
We have fi ve occupancies aff ected by this
fi re. We have three non-life-threatening fi refi
ghter injuries and no civilian injuries at this
time,” Chief of Operations John Hodgens
said at the scene of the fi re.
Screenshot via Facebook/What Is New York
A man was caught on video pushing a
DoorDash delivery driver through the
front glass window of Corato pizzeria in
Ridgewood.
Residents fi le class-action
lawsuit against NYCHA
claiming lagging repairs,
hazardous living conditions
NYCHA residents at the Queensbridge
Houses fi led a class-action lawsuit against
NYCHA for lagging in necessary repairs.
Tenants complained about vermin
infestation, asbestos, lead paint and other
harmful living conditions. Members
of the Justice for All Coalition sought
legal representation from Queens Legal
Services, which fi led the lawsuit on the
tenants’ behalf.
“I decided to sue NYCHA because I
am tired of living with mice, roaches,
water bugs, lack of heat, holes in my walls
and sink, waterlogged and rotting cabinets,
and many more repair issues that
are a threat to my health and safety and
an aff ront to my dignity,” tenant Pamela
Wheeler said. “NYCHA never repairs
anything when I fi le a ticket, and it is so
frustrating trying to get any repairs in my
apartment.”
The lawsuit aimed to force NYCHA
to address tenant complaints, make
necessary repairs and award damages
to plaintiffs. The lawsuit also asked
the court to determine that NYCHA
committed illegal harassment by failing
to make legally required repairs
and provide essential services.
(From l. to r.) State Assemblyman Khaleel Anderson, President and CEO of Win Christine Quinn, CEO of Related Companies Jeff Blau, Queens Borough
President Donovan Richards, Assemblywoman Stacey Pheff er Amato, Managing Partner of Essence Development Jamar Adams and Frank Monterisi
cut the red ribbon at the unveiling of The Harriet Tubman Housing Development in Far Rockaway.
New supportive housing
development in Far Rockaway
providing critical services,
programs for families unveiled
Th e Harriet Tubman Building in Far
Rockaway was unveiled on Aug. 4, with
the purpose of providing supportive
housing for families leaving homeless
shelters.
Located at 1403 Gateway Blvd. the
building is a 75,049-square-foot, 100%
supportive housing development that
off ers 63 high-quality units through a
mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom
apartments.
“Th ese brand-new units of supportive
housing will provide families leaving
shelters with a safe place to call
home that will help them fi nd longterm
independence and stability,” said
Christine Quinn, president and CEO of
Win, which provides social services for
the building.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the
Harriet Tubman Building was touted as
the largest provider of supportive housing
for families in the city, off ering onsite,
tailored social services for residents.
In addition to this, the building also
includes a 1,200-square-foot community
room and a 2,000-square-foot children’s
playground.
Photo courtesy of Related Companies
According to Richards, safe, quality,
aff ordable housing is a human right. But
for far too many Far Rockaway families,
that has been a seemingly impossible
dream.
“We are fl ipping that script with the
opening of the Harriet Tubman Building,
a game-changing investment in the overall
health of Far Rockaway, our fi ght
against homelessness and the future success
of our families struggling to get by,”
Richards told QNS. “From 100% aff ordable
housing units to on-site social services
and more, this development is a
model we must follow as we continue to
invest heavily in this community.”
Two men crash through
Ridgewood pizzeria’s
storefront during
dispute: NYPD
Over the summer, a 24-year-old man
was recorded pushing a DoorDash
driver through the front glass window
of Corato pizzeria in Ridgewood.
Authorities from the 104th Precinct
responded to a 911 call on Aug. 15,
reporting the incident at 66-94 Fresh
Pond Rd. Police found the 57-year-old
victim, who complained of the dispute
that happened over a delivery with the
suspect, 24-year-old Sami Abdelaziz.
Police arrested the suspect and
charged him with assault and harassment.
Th e victim suff ered multiple
lacerations and pain and was treated
for his injuries at Elmhurst Hospital.
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