Was the Midtown SUV Crash Driver Talking on His Cell Phone?

Some more details about yesterday's SUV crash onto a busy Midtown Street and into a store window:

- Five people were injured, including the driver and the owner of the store. One woman's legs were broken when the Lexus SUV barreled into her and carried her through the store window. A couple visiting from Oregon was also injured; Kum Ja Choi and Seon Hwan Kim had moved to the U.S. from South Korea last year, and their son told the Daily News, "It was my mother's dream to go to the city." One witness saw a man without shoes on and told the Post, "There were no shoes and I just saw feet with shoes. I never seen anybody knocked out of their shoes, literally.

- The police are investigating whether driver Rashin Mostafizur, an accountant for the MTA, was talking on his cell phone (apparently one witness reported that). A man treated in the same hospital room as Mostafizur overheard the police questioning him and said, "It seemed like he kept changing his story. The cops were saying, 'Come on, make up your mind.'"

- A friend of Mostafizur said "He had the green light but a guy tried to cross the street to beat the light. He turned the wheel to avoid him and went up on the side walk. He lost control. He tried to break but he couldn't."

No charges were filed against Mostafizur, but it sounds like the investigation is continuing. The injured are expect to recover.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on November 11, 2006 1:14 PM

Comments [rss]

just saying

A lot of cops really suck. Many of them in my Brooklyn (68th precinct) neighborhood routinely can't even be bothered to stop at the traffic lights when they're just cruising around. Do they think that they are exempt from obeying the traffic laws?

Not Amused

Yes, I to marvel at the sight of a driver yakking away on a cellphone while driving. It totally baffles me as to how they rarely if everget ticketed for this . I guess they haven't reached the NYPD's quota line yet . Speaking of the "Boys in Blue" I saw a cop yakking away on her phone driving the wrong way up Nostrand Avenue last week . Someone shouted to her "Get off the phone " And she replied "Make me " ! So you now see the attitude of law enforcement here. That's where the change has to start .

Samantha T

"I love how they like to steer around the crossing pedestrian, instead of just hitting the brake."

I, too, am floored by this maneuver. Just stop the damn car. Unless you're a surgeon en route to a life-saving operation, there is absolutely no reason to rush around the city like that. It's ridiculous. If somebody crosses against the light, you have a reason to be irritated, but still don't have license to drive like a frigging maniac.

concerned citizen

I love how they like to steer around the crossing pedestrian, instead of just hitting the brake. All while driving a Death Wagon and yapping away on a cellphone.

It's attack of the retards, and they're out to get us all. Time to stop these murdering morons now. For good.

Anon E. Mouse

Time to make an example of these people! There are way too many people driving like this. What the hell is the need to be in constant contact with people and be on the move at the same time?

If it's people with money, they have no excuse. Bluetooth headsets cost from $30-40 at the cheapest (I think wired headsets are a mistake when behind the wheel, the wire can get in the way depending on how you have things set up).

How goddamn important are you after you or someone else is dead or injured because you're an ass?!

Have the police ever ticketed someone for talking on a cell phone while driving?

It's bad enough the tests for getting a drivers licenses are a joke!