A 16-year-old girl was fatally struck on a Queens sidewalk early Saturday after a verbal confrontation with the driver of an SUV, police said.
Police identified the victim as Jhoanny Gomez-Alvarez of Manhattan. The collision occurred just after 4 a.m. at Roosevelt Avenue and Benham Street in the Elmhurst neighborhood, according to law enforcement officials.
Authorities said the vehicle was a 2009 Chevrolet Suburban driven by a 38-year-old man. Investigators said the teen was on the sidewalk when she was struck; she was pronounced dead at the scene. After hitting the teenager, police said the same SUV struck a 32-year-old woman and then collided with a parked car while the driver attempted to flee.
The injured woman was transported to Elmhurst Hospital in stable condition, officials said. The driver was taken into custody at the scene. Police said murder charges were pending as investigators continued to determine whether the vehicle was used intentionally to strike the teen.
Witnesses told local media the driver appeared to be intoxicated. Police said they were still investigating what prompted the verbal dispute that preceded the collision and had not released other details about the relationship, if any, between the parties involved.
Officials at the scene canvassed the area for surveillance footage and interviewed witnesses as part of a broader inquiry into the circumstances of the deadly incident. A police spokesperson said investigators would work with prosecutors to determine appropriate charges once the facts were established.
The case adds to a series of investigations in New York City in recent years into incidents in which vehicles struck pedestrians during disputes or attempts to flee. Authorities emphasized the ongoing nature of the Elmhurst investigation and urged anyone with information or video of the incident to contact the local precinct.
Police declined to release the name of the driver pending notification of next of kin and continued inquiries. The Medical Examiner's office was to determine the official cause and manner of death, which is standard in a case involving a fatal traffic collision.
Investigators were expected to review toxicology results, cellphone records and surveillance video as part of their probe. Prosecutors will decide whether to pursue homicide charges based on evidence gathered during the investigation, a process that can include witness statements, physical evidence and forensic testing.
Local community leaders and residents had not immediately issued public statements Saturday morning. The NYPD said detectives remained at the scene for much of the morning collecting evidence and speaking with people in the area.
Anyone with information about the incident was asked to contact the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline or the local precinct handling the investigation.