Beka Skhirtladze, 26, of Brooklyn, was driving south on Ocean Parkway with a 30-year-old female passenger. When he spun his BMW M6 out of control, rammed into the divider, and crossed into the opposing lane.
He then hit Jamal Iqbal, 23, who was driving his Ford Winstar north. The crash occurred near Avenue X, around 11:45pm on Saturday, May 5.
Witnesses blocks away were able to hear what they called an "explosion." One witness thought he saw Skhirtladze's car speeding.
Although cops were unsure the day of the crash, Skhirtladze was eventually charged with reckless endangerment, vehicular manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and reckless driving.
The two cars came to a stop about 150 feet from one another. The Ford's engine and transmission were sent flying across the road.
Iqbal was rushed to Coney Island Hospital (a municipal-owned hospital), where he was pronounced dead. Skhirtladze and his passenger were taken to Kings County Hospital and Lutheran Medical Center, respectively, both in stable condition. His injuries included a broken jaw.
Iqbal was planning to attend medical school after college. According to the latest reports, his mother was in shock and his father had reportedly given up on life.
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Why do I tell you about this tragedy that has been reported in the news? Chances are you have questions and concerns about this event or one that has happened to you. As a practicing wrongful death and personal injury attorney in New York, I deal with terrible accidents like this every day.
If you would like more information about how negligence cases work in the state of New York, I encourage you to explore my educational website. If you have legal questions, I invite you to pick up the phone and call me at 516-487-8207 or by e-mail at [email protected] to answer your questions. That's what I do every day. I welcome your call.
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