Driver Mad About Dad's Smoke Request Plows Into Family in NY
A driver angry about being asked not to blow cigarette smoke in the direction of children outside a New York 7-Eleven allegedly plowed into a family, hitting six kids and killing a woman before he was arrested at gunpoint by police, according to officials and witness accounts.
Police said the driver, 35-year-old Jason Mendez of Washingtonville, intentionally drove into the group in front of the convenience store on Central Highway in Garnerville just before 2 p.m. Wednesday. He then reversed and backed over them before smashing into the front of the store, authorities said.
When officers arrived, Mendez allegedly refused to drop a knife he was holding; police had to stun him and arrest him at gunpoint, officials said.
A 32-year-old woman died from her injuries at the hospital. A 35-year-old man was taken to Westchester Medical Center, along with a 2-year-old child, and both have serious but non-life threatening injuries. The other victims, children ranging in age from less than a year old to 10 years old, were taken to Montefiore Nyack Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said.
The victims' identities have not been released.
A mangled baby stroller lay on the ground in front of the smashed-in storefront as police investigated. Witnesses said they saw a woman lying on the ground immediately after the crash, and she looked severely injured.
Witness Cindy Schnalzer told News 4 New York, "The baby was was crying, and there was like an 11-year-old girl that came out, and she was with her father out here, and the father was going ballistic wanting to know where the guy was."
"I heard the father, he was telling the cops, 'I told him not to blow smoke in front of my kids,'" she said.
Mendez pleaded not guilty late Wednesday to charges of second-degree murder and seven counts of second-degree attempted murder.
His attorney said in court his client just lost his cellphone repair job a week ago. Mendez himself said nothing to reporters as he was led from a police car and into the courthouse in handcuffs.
A vacate order was posted on the store early Thursday.
Photo Credit: News 4
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