Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Tamir Khan was sentenced today to seven to 21 years in prison for a drunk driving crash that killed Inderdeo John and Charles Harris, two neighbors from South Ozone Park, in June 2023. John was driving Harris to his job as a custodian at a nearby public school when Khan sped through a stop sign and slammed into the victims’ car.

DA Katz said: “The reckless and selfish behavior of the defendant, who chose to get behind the wheel after drinking, cost two men their lives and left a wide circle of family and friends heartbroken. This is yet one more example of a preventable tragedy caused by drunk driving.”

Khan, 23, of 117^th Street in Richmond Hill, pleaded guilty in July to aggravated vehicular homicide in satisfaction of all charges against him. Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise sentenced him today to seven to 21 years in prison.

According to the charges:

• On June 5, 2023, at approximately 4:24 a.m., Khan was driving a gray Audi A4 northbound on 117^th Street at a high rate of speed and failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection with 111^th Avenue in Richmond Hill.
• Khan struck a silver 2001 Toyota Camry heading westbound on 111^th Avenue and continued driving. The Camry spun and hit a utility pole. Khan returned to the crash location approximately 30 minutes after the collision and admitted to driving the vehicle.
• The driver of the Camry, Inderdeo John, 64, of South Ozone Park, was pronounced dead at a local hospital later that morning. John’s passenger and neighbor, Charles Harris, 71, who was being driven to work, died the next day from head and chest injuries sustained in the collision.
• John was a retiree who often volunteered to drive his friends and neighbors.
• An Intoxilyzer exam given to Khan approximately two hours after the crash indicated that he had a blood alcohol content of .09 percent, which was above the DWI threshold of .08 percent.
• The Audi’s windshield was tinted and had a light transmittance of 37% and the light transmittance on the front driver’s side window was 17%. Neither met the legal threshold of 70% or greater.

Assistant District Attorney Katherine McCabe of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau prosecuted the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Whitney, Bureau Chief, and Roni Piplani, Deputy Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.