The husband of a woman killed in a Queens car crash is raising concerns that the suspect’s alleged antisemitic past may be connected to the fatal incident. Michael Trager, whose wife Cara Trager died in May from injuries sustained in the crash, stated that a closer examination of the circumstances is warranted after the driver, Dawood Faisal, 22, was charged with a hate crime in connection with vandalism at a Jewish-owned kosher bagel shop.
Faisal was indicted in June on charges including second-degree manslaughter, assault, leaving the scene of a crash, and reckless driving. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges. Prosecutors stated that Faisal was driving more than 75 mph in a 35-mph zone and ran two red lights before striking two vehicles, one of which then hit Cara Trager and her husband. Michael Trager sustained a shoulder injury, hand lacerations, and facial bruising.
Cara Trager, 71, suffered severe head trauma and died four days after the May 25 collision. She was a journalist and a long-time member of the Hollis Hills Jewish community.
According to reports, the alleged vandalism at Bagels & Co., a Jewish-owned shop that displayed Israeli flags and banners, occurred prior to the fatal crash. The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force arrested Faisal on July 31, charging him with multiple counts of criminal mischief as a hate crime for these incidents. The shop is located in the same general vicinity as the crash site.
Michael Trager told the Daily Wire that while he does not believe his wife was specifically targeted, the area’s predominantly Jewish character is significant. "If you’re going to do that kind of act in that area, at that time, you’re more than likely, if you’re going to kill somebody, to kill a Jew," he said. He questioned whether the fatal incident could have been prevented if Faisal’s earlier alleged actions had been properly addressed.
Trager recalled regaining consciousness after the crash and realizing his wife had been fatally injured. "I couldn’t believe it happened because I didn’t do anything wrong," he told the Wire. "We were crossing the street, and next thing I know, I’m on the ground with my wife."