A Sunnyside woman allegedly drove drunk and struck an 8-year-old girl and the girl’s grandmother as they crossed a street in Woodside Tuesday. The woman’s mangled car (L) and debris on the road (R) (Photos Citizen)
July 1, 2022 By Michael Dorgan
A Sunnyside woman has been charged with vehicular assault and a slew of other crimes after she allegedly drove drunk and plowed into an 8-year-old girl and the girl’s grandmother as they crossed a street in Woodside Tuesday. She then smashed her car into two vehicles before coming to a stop.
Alexandra Lopez, 52, of 45th Street, allegedly got behind the wheel of a 2020 Toyota RAV 4 while intoxicated and hit the girl and her 74-year-old grandmother while they were crossing at the intersection of 68th Street and 31st Avenue at around 6:50 p.m., according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
According to the charges, Lopez continued driving after hitting the pair in an attempt to flee the scene. She then swerved across the double yellow lines and slammed into two cars – a 2018 Honda and 2020 Hyundai. She then came to a stop on the side of the road, flush against the sidewalk.
When police arrived at the scene, they found the young girl crying and screaming underneath the front of a parked van. Her head, face and clothes were covered in blood, and she had scratches on her feet.
The girl suffered serious injuries including a broken nose, head trauma, and liver damage while her grandmother is recovering from trauma and swelling to her legs, prosecutors said. They are both still being treated in the hospital.
Police found Lopez sitting in the driver’s seat of her vehicle with the engine running.
Video from the scene shows the RAV 4 stuck against the sidewalk with its hood smashed in and a front tire blown. Debris can be seen strewn across the middle of the road and there are tire marks leading to the vehicle.
Lopez was arrested at the scene and taken to the 112th NYPD precinct in Forest Hills.
Officers at the precinct noticed Lopez smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot watery eyes and was swaying on her feet. A breathalyzer test showed that Lopez had a blood alcohol content nearly two and half times the legal limit.
Lopez was arraigned before Queens Criminal Court Thursday night and has been charged with vehicular assault, reckless driving, assault, driving under the influence of alcohol and leaving the scene of an incident.
She faces up to 11 years in prison if convicted.
“Few choices are more selfish than taking the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “A young girl is now seriously injured, and her grandmother is recovering from trauma sustained from the car crash.”
“The defendant will face justice in our courts for her callous actions.”
Lopez was ordered back to court on Aug. 18.
The driver’s mangled car (Photos Citizen)
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