A 28-year-old Queens man has pled guilty to killing a man with his car who was walking to work early one morning in 2019, District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Friday.
David Garcia was behind the wheel around 5 a.m. July 25 when he struck and killed 56-year-old Sivananaintha Perumal, according to the DA's statement detailing the guilty plea. Garcia pleaded guilty to manslaughter yesterday, nearly two years later, before a judge in Queens Supreme Court.
An employee at Dunkin' Donuts at the time, Perumal was walking to his work in Woodhaven on Woodhaven Boulevard moments before the crash, Katz said.
Garcia is accused of driving at speeds as high as 92 mph that July morning when he struck Perumal at the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and 91st Avenue. He then fled the area but was taken into custody two weeks later, according to the prosecutor.
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“The destination for this defendant – who selfishly chose to disobey the rules
of the road with fatal, tragic consequences – is now prison. He was driving at speeds of more than 90 mph in a 30 mph zone, drove through a red light, struck the victim and then fled the scene," Katz said.
Garcia reportedly faces between 3 1/3 and 10 years in prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for early August. Attorney information for Garcia was not immediately known.
"The victim – a husband and father of three – was simply crossing Woodhaven Boulevard on his way to work," Katz added.
