The Queens man charged with driving while impaired by drugs when his car jumped a curb in the East Village in June and plowed through a block and a half of street signs before slamming into a bodgea, seriously injuring two deli workers, has been charged with murder, authorities say.
District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. says one of the men Shaun Martin, 33, is accused of hitting with his car died of his injuries. In addition to the second-degree murder charge, Martin faces charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, assault and criminal possession of a controlled substance, among other crimes.
Authorities allege he was high on PCP and methamphetamine on the morning of June 19 when he cut across three lanes of traffic and drove onto the sidewalk. He had also allegedly been drinking.
The car barreled down the sidewalk for about a block and a half before crashing into a flower stand attached to the deli and spinning out into the middle of the street.
Mohammed Akkas Ali was one of the two workers injured. He had broken bones and brain trauma and later died.
Police had said Martin reused a Breathalyzer test and has prior drunken driving arrests. Drugs were allegedly found stashed in his socks when he was treated at the hospital.
A phone message left with Martin's attorney was not immediately returned.
