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The driver suspected of DWI when he crashed his Range Rover into a livery cab, killing the driver and passenger, actually faces murder charges from a 2006 incident.
WCBS 2 reports that Daryush Omar's blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit. Police say Omar, who is charged with charges of drunken driving, criminally-negligent homicide, and driving with a suspended license, ran through a red light on 31st Avenue in Astoria and t-boned a livery cab driven by Bessy Velasquez.
Velasquez and passenger Panayiota "Penny" Dametrious, a clinical psychologist, died from their injuries. One witness told the NY Times, “The driver’s side door was completely smashed in. I didn’t approach the car because I wanted to be able to sleep later. But I could see long hair, and they weren’t moving.”
Newsday reports, "Omar was already slated to appear in Manhattan Criminal Court on Dec. 12, to face second-degree murder charges and first-degree robbery charges in the May 2006 beating death of Thomas Whitney." Apparently Whitney, 24, had asked Omar for directions, but Omar, who was on his cellphone, "became incensed and, news accounts said, told five friends who were with him to 'Get the white -- '" and Whitney was kicked and beaten (with a steel pipe) to death.
Whitney's wallet was also stolen, and a few days later, Omar's friends were caught on video using Whitney's credit card. According to the Daily News, "Omar was freed pending trial... A law enforcement source said the case had been postponed because prosecutors have not found witnesses to the crime." Whitney's father said, "I knew it was coming. He is a thug. A common thug," and added, "My heart and prayers go out for the two women who were killed."
Vesaquez worked for Myrtle Car Service in Brooklyn; her daughter said, "I just want you to know that I lost one of the greatest persons in my life, me and my sister. It's really hard for us because our mom was always there for us and now we don't have her because someone was under the influence." And Dametrious, originally from Cyprus, worked at Brookdale Hospital and was studying child psychology in Pace's doctoral program. Her friends, who described her as "wonderful," say Dametrious was preparing to defend her dissertation.
And in a sick footnote, Evangelos Fotiou was arrested for governmental obstruction: The NY Times reports he "came across the scene of the accident and took money from one of the victims." A police source told the News, "This is human behavior at its worst. Two innocent lives were claimed by a man who already killed someone, and then a thug tried to take their money."
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The judge who let this sub-human trash out on bail should have been in that livery cab instead of those two innocent ladies.
Death penalty, plain and simple.
This is the first time in my adult life where I believe capital punishment would be an appropriate sentence.
It's pretty clear that this individual does not place a necessary value on human life; the same common courtesy need not be extended to him.
He wasn't out on bail. The DA couldn't get an indictment, so he was released. It wasn't a judge's decision, it's simply NYS Criminal Procedure Law.
The DA basically has six days after arraignment to get an indictment from a grand jury, or at least start the proceedings. Otherwise, the accused person is released.
Wow, let's just shoot this guy and get it over with. And oh, the guy that stole from the dead victims... he should have his hands broken.
This Omar character is proof positive that abortion should be mandatory unless the parents can be shown to have no mental illness on either side of the family. This savage is a genetic aberration that needs to be wiped out. I'm sorry the cops didn't have the sense to eradicate this mutant when they had the chance.
heart breaking.
Also from the newsday article: "Also arrested at the scene of the accident was Evangelos Fotiou, 42, of 31-18 34th St. in Queens, who was caught trying to steal money from the bodies of Velasquez and Dametriou, according to a police source."
This story gets more and more ridiculous. This creep beats some poor guy for asking him directions and this other creep steals the dead women's wallets from their bodies? Where do these disgusting people come from?
Another upstanding African American citizen celebrates Obama's victory.
Wow... those livery cabs are unsafe. Better take a Yellow cab!
http://www.yellowcabnyc.com
Unbelievably tragic. So many missed opportunities to prevent this from happening.
Very unappropriate Yellow Cab NYC.
Actually that's an Iranian sounding name. And if he's Iranian, he's likely to be Muslim & as such he should have stayed away from booze. Does it really take deaths of 2 or maybe even 3 people to put this vermin away & preferably down?
I'd love to take a yellow cab in Queens. You try finding one.
Daryush Omar was set free by a scumbag liberal judge and look what happens. Now all of you neo-lib hipsters are crying for the death penalty. LOL!!!
Daryush Omar is an immigrant who came to America looking for a better life. Are you people racist or something?
"Actually that's an Iranian sounding name."
Actually that's a Pakistani name.
"Daryush Omar was set free by a scumbag liberal judge"
Again, no he wasn't. He was released because the DA's office didn't have evidence with which to pursue an indictment.
According to reports at that time of the 2006 killing, he couldn't be deported because he had renounced his Pakistani citizenship. He was on "supervised release" because ICE also couldn't simply hold him indefinitely.
Basically, no judges liberal or otherwise had anything to do with it.
This is not the first time something like this happens and wouldn't be the last time as well.
There are too many drivers on the road who shouldn't be there in the first place.
aaaaaand now Yellow Cab NYC comes in to promote his cab service.
What is it about this story that it's attracting the sickest individuals?
No hole is deep enough for this sort of scum. We should have the folks in jail work at digging deep pits for animals like this. Prison is pointless because he won't be rehabbed. He needs to be excluded from our planet.
I think Yellow Cab gets the award for most inappropriate advertising. Very classy....
Excecute him and drop the rest of his upstanding family off in North Waziristan!
Yellow Cab must be related to these two creeps.
This jerk needs to have a bad fall in jail. A very bad fall.
This guy is free in NYC after
beating someone to death with a lead pipe
for just asking this creep psycho directions?
It's hard enough for men to ask for anything from
another guy when lost or confused.
Sad.
Hey its true... gypsy cabs are shady!
I apologize for the inappropriate advertising, but its not like the victims family has time right now to read online comments!
Yellow Cab NYC you are sorely mistaken in almost every comment.
1.) Yotoula and Bessy had great many relatives and friends who love and miss them dearly. I happen to be one of them and find your disgusting "advertising" just as awful as other bottom-feeding actions we've seen this weekend.
2.) as for the creepiness of "gypsy" cabs... a few facts for you. car services are the only transport readily available in queens, bklyn where MANY NYC residents live. these drivers and cabs are NOT at all creepy. YOU are. for taking this loss of life as an opportunity to promote yourself (as if you could not simply find a fare with the light on).
Thank you to all of you who have commented to support the victims. They were both much beloved women in their families. We miss them dearly, and the man vile and criminal that took them from us.
I beg your help in ensuring only justice is served.
My condolences to friends and family! I know there is not many yellow cabs available in queens and other outer boroughs. BUT there is a big difference between illegally getting into a livery cab off the street and calling a licensed car service! Some of these differences lie in the cars and drivers behind these sketchy operations. Maybe the livery driver was high or tipsy himself, or just has slow reactions and did not outmaneuver the range rover in time or maybe his old livery cab malfunctioned, who knows?
I saw the accident scene not too long after it happened. I will never forget the tragic scene, and I hope that Omar get's life in prison, and is then beaten to death by a gang of 5 while serving his first week.
My heart goes out to the friends and family of Panayiota and Bessy.
"Wow... those livery cabs are unsafe. Better take a Yellow cab!
http://www.yellowcabnyc.com"
"Yellow Cab must be related to these two creeps."
"I apologize for the inappropriate advertising, but its not like the victims family has time right now to read online comments!"
ACTUALLY, MR. YELLOW CAB, YIOTA'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAVE NOTHING BUT TIME TO READ ONLINE COMMENTS. IT MIGHT JUST HELP THE NEWS SINK IN. IT MIGHT JUST HELP WITH CLOSURE. WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WHILE WAITING FOR MY FRIEND'S BODY TO BE FLOWN BACK HOME FOR HER FUNERAL?
Boycott Yellow Cab.
Boycott Yellow Cab.
Boycott yellow Cab.
Boycott yellow Cab.
Boycott Yellow Cab.
Both Panayiota Dametrious and Bessy Velasquez were beautiful, hard-working women who had already shown how much they could achieve in this world-- the one studying to be a psychologist to help people live better lives, the other working a traditionally male job to support her two daughters. May God comfort their families.
How about the guy who robbed a victim? He's going right to the Lowlife Hall of Fame.
Whitney's killers were all from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan except one.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/09212007/news/regionalnews/d_a__might_spring_killer.htm
Do they consider themselves "brown" or something?
Astoria is a creep-filled hellhole.
"Omar was already slated to appear in Manhattan Criminal Court on Dec. 12, to face second-degree murder charges and first-degree robbery charges in the May 2006 beating death of Thomas Whitney." Apparently Whitney, 24, had asked Omar for directions, but Omar, who was on his cellphone, "became incensed and, news accounts said, told five friends who were with him to 'Get the white -- '" and Whitney was kicked and beaten (with a steel pipe) to death.
If a bunch of white dudes said "Get the black/Muslim/gay etc --" and beat him to death, I believe at least the NYPD and Nassau PD, if not Suffolk, would have brought hate crime charges.
And Astoria is not full of assholes like this.
For the record, Bessy worked for a car service that was called to dispatch a car in Brooklyn. That's when she went to pick up Yota and her friends to bring them home.
This was not an illegal livery hitch, and by all accounts, Bessy was driving safely - was not drunk or tipsy.
SHAME ON YOU, YellowCab, for making assumptions about people, ESPECIALLY those who have passed. No respect at all. You are about as classy as the low-lifes mentioned in the articles.
With all of the public transportation alternatives this area has, why does anyone drive drunk? I hope this dumbass is put in front of a firing squad. Oh yeah wait, NYS doesn't believe in the death penalty. Wankers!
Thank you #31 and I second those comments.