You are reading

WATCH: Deranged SUV Driver Smashes into Astoria Produce Store, Knocks Woman to Pavement

(Photo Screenshot and Google Maps)

The Queens/Astoria Post has obtained wild video footage of a crazed SUV driver mounting a sidewalk in Astoria Monday afternoon and then plowing into the side of a fruit and veg store—before knocking a 56-year-old woman to the pavement (Photo: Screenshot and Google Maps)

Jan. 24, 2023 By Michael Dorgan

The Queens/Astoria Post has obtained wild video footage of a crazed SUV driver mounting a sidewalk in Astoria Monday afternoon and then plowing into the side of a fruit and veg store—before knocking a 56-year-old woman to the pavement.

The CCTV video shows a white Mercedes-Benz SUV racing down a sidewalk on 33rd Street at around 1:30 p.m. before hitting a parking meter and then smashing into the front of United Brothers Fruit Markets – taking out several of its plexiglass windows.

The SUV then appears to plow into several fruit carts – before hitting an unsuspecting woman who is holding an umbrella in one hand and a shopping bag in another.

The woman is knocked sideways and then appears to fall face down onto the pavement while the SUV flies off the curb and flees the scene, the footage shows. The driver was apprehended by the police in Woodside about half an hour later, the NYPD said.

Ahmad Faid, the manager of the 32-24 30th Ave. store, can then be seen rushing to the woman’s aid.

“We heard the noise and I ran to the lady to give her some help and to see who this guy is,” Faid told the Queens/Astoria Post.

“He was going really fast, like mad fast.”

Fais said he immediately called 911. The woman was then taken to Elmhurst General Hospital in stable condition with abrasions to her legs and body pains, police said.

“She was in bad condition when I saw her, I hope she survives,” Faid said.

 

Seconds before the Mercedes hit the store, another video clip shows a second woman getting out of the way of the Mercedes as it speeds down the sidewalk.

Faid said police in unmarked cars had been chasing the Mercedes before it collided with the store, which has been in Astoria for around 50 years.

The driver, identified as 35-year-old Jeffrey Garcia from the Bronx, was picked up in the vehicle by cops in Woodside on the corner of 31st Avenue and 57th Street, police said.

Garcia was found to be in possession of two loaded firearms and a large quantity of drugs when he was apprehended, police said.

He has been charged with criminal possession of drugs and weapons, as well as reckless endangerment.

Smashed plexiglass, poles and fruit strewed across the sidewalk. (Photo provided by Ahmad Faid)

Meanwhile, Garcia left behind a trail of destruction outside the store.

Photos provided by Faid show smashed plexiglass, poles and fruit strewn across the sidewalk. Faid said the awning was also damaged.

He said the repairs will cost several hundred dollars at least, but he said his main concern is the woman’s wellbeing.

“We have a lot of damage but we just hope the lady is fine,” Faid said.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Fall fun in western Queens: Your guide to the best seasonal events

Aug. 29, 2025 By Jessica Militello

With beach days and summer BBQs behind us, the start of September rings in the start of magnificent Fall foliage, Halloween and more fun activities that come with the start of Autumn, including a list of Fall events in the area. From apple picking to seasonal ciders and more, there is tons to explore in the community. From Mystic Markets to scary movie meet-ups and more, here is a list of Fall events you do not want to miss.

A hidden gem in Sunnyside: Bistro Punta Sal blends Peruvian and Italian flavors

Aug. 29, 2025 By Jessica Militello

On a quiet street in Sunnyside, Bistro Punta Sal has its French doors wide open, letting the late August breeze emanate throughout the space, which is ornate with flowers, paintings and an array of tables and chairs for intimate dinners with friends or a romantic date night. The cozy restaurant, located at 45-51 46th St., is a hidden gem in the neighborhood that is just waiting to be discovered, as the sights and aromas of the restaurant invite guests in. 

Off-duty paramedic spots South Richmond Hill two-alarm house fire that injures nine firefighters, two civilians on Friday morning: FDNY

Nine firefighters were injured, two of them seriously, and two civilians sustained minor injuries during a two-alarm house fire in South Richmond Hill on Friday morning, but it could have been worse if not for the actions of an off-duty veteran EMT.

Paramedic Craig Biscuiti was driving to work when he noticed a column of thick black smoke and heavy flames coming from the first floor of a two-story home at 95-36 111th St. just before 7:10 a.m.

Astoria doctor sentenced to more than two decades in prison for rape and sexual abuse: DA

An Astoria doctor was sentenced to 24 years in prison on Thursday in Queens Supreme Court for raping unconscious acquaintances and sexually abusing hospital patients.

Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng, 35, of Broadway, pleaded guilty on June 30 to four counts of rape in the first degree and three counts of sexual abuse in the first degree in satisfaction of the consolidated indictments against him. He additionally entered an Alford plea to one count of sexual abuse. The defendant — a former gastroenterologist at New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital — recorded the abuse of his unconscious victims with his cell phone in both his Astoria apartment and at the hospital.