Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Mohammad Sk was indicted on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, driving under the influence, assault and other crimes for an October 2024 crash that killed 17-year-old Mohammad Rafid and injured four other teenagers, all passengers in the car he was operating. Sk allegedly drank alcohol and smoked marijuana before driving the car, which was allegedly being driven at approximately 110 mph just before the crash.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, the defendant made the reckless decision to get behind the wheel under the influence and drive at more than twice the legal speed limit. The tragic result was predictable – a collision that cut short one teen’s life and caused serious injuries to four others. The lives and families of six teenagers are altered forever due to the alleged actions of this defendant.”

Mohammad Sk, 19, of 87^th Avenue in Jamaica, was arraigned today on a 12-count  indictment charging him with aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter in the second degree, vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, assault in the second degree, vehicular assault in the second degree, two counts of assault in the third degree, operating a vehicle while impaired by combined use of drugs or of alcohol and drugs, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving, operating a vehicle at unreasonable speed and driving in excess of the maximum speed limit.

Queens Supreme Court Justice Bruna DiBiase ordered him to return to court on October 10. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

DA Katz said that, according to the charges and investigation, on October 11, 2024, Sk was with five other teenagers and drove them all in a 2014 Nissan to a liquor store where they purchased alcohol. The defendant then drove the group to Cunningham Park in Fresh Meadows where they drank the alcohol and smoked marijuana. The young men left the park and the defendant allegedly drove the group to Fort Totten Park in Bay Terrace where they continued to drink and smoke.

At approximately 2:30 a.m. on October 12, the defendant was allegedly driving the Nissan southbound on the Cross Island Parkway between Exits 32 and 31 when he lost control of the car, swerved across the road and hit the metal guardrail on the right shoulder. The car spun out and began to roll before coming to a rest on its roof in the center lane of the roadway. Empty bottles of vodka and whiskey were observed in the roadway.

The car’s data recorder allegedly showed that the vehicle was going approximately 110 mph two and a half seconds before the crash with no brake activation. The speed limit on the parkway is 50 mph.

None of the car’s occupants were wearing seatbelts. The four people in the rear passenger seats were all ejected from the car.

Mohammad Rafid, who was seated in the rear, was taken to a local hospital with severe head and body trauma and was declared brain dead on October 15, 2024. He died on October 17, 2024.

The defendant and other occupants of the car were also taken to the hospital with head and body trauma. One passenger sustained a fractured collar bone and shoulder, and abrasions to his head, legs and back. Another teen sustained fractures to his head, shoulder and ribs. A third had a fractured collar bone.

Assistant District Attorneys Vivian Gonzalez and Matthew Hauszpigel of the District Attorney’s Vehicular Homicide Unit within the Homicide Bureau are prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Selkowe, Deputy Bureau Chief, Assistant District Attorney John Kosinski, Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.