Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Roosevelt Rose, 56, has been indicted by a Queens County grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on charges of murder, reckless driving and other crimes for the fatal hit-and-run crash that resulted in the death of 49-year-old Florence Ngwu outside of her home in Jamaica. The incident took place during the morning hours of May 8, 2022, Mother’s Day.

District Attorney Katz said, “This is a horrifying incident involving the heartbreaking death of a local mom on a day meant to be a celebration for her and her loved ones. As alleged, the defendant was operating a vehicle when he slammed into parked cars on a residential street, causing the victim to get pinned between two bumpers. My Office will not allow the use of motor vehicles as dangerous weapons. The defendant is now in custody and will be held accountable for his alleged criminal actions.”

Rose, of 89th Avenue in Jamaica, Queens, was arraigned today before Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder on a seven-count indictment charging him with murder in the second degree, assault in the first and second degrees, manslaughter in the second degree, criminal mischief in the third degree, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, and reckless driving. Judge Holder set the defendant’s return date for December 12, 2022. Rose faces up to 25 years-to-life in prison, if convicted.

According to the charges, on May 8, 2022, at approximately 8:30 a.m., the defendant was driving a white 2019 Ford F-550 truck. While attempting to make a three-point turn at the dead end of 120th Avenue in Jamaica, Queens, the defendant allegedly struck multiple parked vehicles, including a parked BMW sedan that belonged to 24-year-old Princess Ngwu. Upon hearing the commotion, Ms. Ngwu exited her house along with her mother, the victim, and a neighbor.

Video surveillance of the incident shows the three individuals trying to approach the defendant, at which point he continued his reckless attempts to turn the truck around on the narrow street. The defendant can be seen on video slamming into a parked SUV during the turn, forcing the SUV to jump forward.

DA said that at the time, the victim and two other individuals were standing directly next to the SUV, the force of which threw them all to the ground. The victim, Florence Ngwu, fell behind the rear bumper of another parked vehicle. She was ultimately crushed between the front bumper of the SUV and the rear bumper of the parked vehicle, as the defendant drove away from the scene.

As a result of being pinned between the two vehicles, Mrs. Ngwu sustained fatal head injuries. She was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.

Following a thorough investigation by the NYPD Collision Investigation Squad, in partnership with the DA’s Office, the defendant was arrested on the charges earlier today.

Assistant District Attorney Konstantinos Litourgis of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Shawn Clark, Bureau Chief, and Michael Whitney, Senior Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Major Crimes Division Daniel A. Saunders.