Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Alamin Ahmed and Mir Fahmid, both of Jamaica, Queens, have been indicted by a Queens County grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on murder, manslaughter and other charges.

District Attorney Katz said, “You cannot use our city streets as if they were the Daytona Speedway or get behind the wheel of a car intoxicated. As alleged, the defendants were drag racing in Kew Gardens Hills early in the morning on November 20, 2020 when they crashed into and killed another driver who was on his way to work at a nearby hospital. One of the defendants was allegedly intoxicated as he drove. The defendants now face very serious charges and will be held to account for their alleged actions.”

Ahmed and Fahmid, both 24 and residents of Jamaica, Queens, were arraigned today before Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise on a 20-count indictment. The defendants are charged with murder in the second degree, manslaughter in the second degree, criminally negligent homicide, assault in the second degree, reckless driving, participating in an unregulated speed contest or race and several traffic violations. Ahmed is additionally charged with vehicular manslaughter in the second degree and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Fahmid is additionally charged with leaving the scene of an incident without reporting and tampering with physical evidence. Justice Aloise ordered the defendants to return to Court on March 22, 2022. If convicted, Ahmed and Fahmid face up to 25 years-to-life in prison.

According to the charges, in the early morning hours of November 20, 2020, both men attended a party in Brooklyn to celebrate Fahmid’s birthday. After the festivities, the pair went to a gas station on Main Street and Union Turnpike to fill up. Then, the two men are seen on video surveillance posting up side by side at a red light and when the signal switched to green, they allegedly accelerated quickly racing down Union Turnpike.

DA Katz continued that both men allegedly sped through two solid red lights. And just as the defendants were quickly approaching Parsons Boulevard, Daniel Crawford was driving southbound on Parsons Boulevard heading to work at Queens General Hospital. Just as Mr. Crawford entered the intersection, he was struck by both the silver Mercedes Benz Ahmed was allegedly driving and the red Honda Accord defendant Fahmid allegedly drove.

According to the charges, the two cars – both going more than 90 mph – T-boned Mr. Crawford’s Toyota. The 52-year-old Jamaica, Queens resident suffered an internal decapitation and was rushed to the same hospital where he worked and was pronounced dead.

The DA said defendant Ahmed’s vehicle was disabled in the crash and he was taken into custody by police at the scene. At that time, Ahmed allegedly showed signs of intoxication and a test administered at the crash site allegedly showed Ahmed’s blood alcohol level was .094 – above the legal limit. Defendant Fahmid is accused of fleeing the scene.

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