QUEENS, NY – A man tragically lost his life trying to stop thieves from robbing his SUV in East Elmhurst, Queens. The 43-year-old victim saw the two culprits breaking into his white Toyota Highlander around 3:30 p.m. and confronted them, according to police communication. A bystander alerted the man when they heard the glass of his car being shattered. The perpetrators, noticing they’d been identified, hastily retreated from the scene.
As the suspects attempted to flee in a white BMW, the man made a daring effort to halt their retreat by sprinting towards the moving vehicle. However, in a devastating turn of events, he was flung off the car and hit by an oncoming Cadillac Escalade.
The victim suffered severe injuries and was left bleeding heavily on the street. Emergency services took him to Elmhurst Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Hugo Dutan, the driver of the Cadillac Escalade, shared with local media his shock of the immediate events, recounting the victim crashing against his vehicle. Surveillance footage at the scene depicts bystanders rushing to aid the injured man as the BMW sped off.
One of the good samaritans, Kevin Gonzalez, was in the vicinity playing volleyball when the unfolding scene caught his attention. He and a few others tried to chase the speeding car to no avail.
Police are still actively searching for the two suspects, who remain at large. No arrests have been made as the investigation is ongoing.