Deliveryman Killed By Allegedly Drunk Hit-And-Run Driver

Police arrested a 27-year-old man suspected for a fatal-hit-and-run that killed a Chinese food deliveryman after following the trail of anti-freeze from the crash site to the driver's home. Gus Pappaeliou is also suspected of being drunk during the Saturday incident.

Witnesses say a red Volkswagen Jetta hit Youyun Zhou, a restaurant worker who was on a scooter, from behind on Jamaica Avenue near 80th Street. The Daily News reports, "Zhou's helmet was knocked from his head, and his scooter was dragged for a block by the red Volkswagen until its driver stopped and reversed to shake loose the bike." The News says a Volkswagen hood ornament was left behind as well as the anti-freeze; a witness also called police with the license plate number.

Zhou, apparently making his last delivery of the night for China House, was described as hard-working by a cousin who spoke tot he Nwws, "He worked 12-hour days, six days a week, [and] his family has no other income. His wife doesn't have a job and has health problems." And Zhou's son, Kai-Qiang, who studies engineering in college, told the Post, "When I heard what happened, I didn't believe it was true. The last time my father talked to me, he told me to make sure I stayed in school. He wanted us to go to college so we wouldn't have to work so hard, like he did. He wanted us to be professionals."

The Post says DMV records show Pappaeliou's license as "suspended." The suspect's father said, "We're trying to deal with both tragedies right now, with a family that lost a loved one and with what happened with my son." Pappaeliou was charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene of an accident and drunken driving.

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By Jen Chung in News on April 20, 2009 9:21 AM

Comments [rss]

afriend

My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased,no one deserves to die like that. But we shouldn't condemn ones we don't know. Gus is a hard working young man, who had a terrible accident and panicked. We can't judge him, because no one knows how they would react, unless they were in this same situation. He was not drunk, and he did not have a suspended license,he drives for a living, so this job would not be allowed if his license was suspended, so don't believe everything you read. I myself saw him 30 minutes before the accident and he was fine. Was waiting for his dad to get home, and then turning himself in...this accident is a tragedy for both families and agian, my condolences,

Clarice City

He has no respect for human life. And, big surprise, a suspended liscence!

JacqueMehoff

this scumbucket was on the late news saying hi to his mom as he was getting in a cop car.

they also showed the damage done to the car.

Clarice City

The prosecution will probably use that footage in court. Not good for him.

jibbly

Why is it always the hardest working, nicest people that get mowed down like dogs in the street?

freddynyc

Yes, I would like to see for a change a "victim" who is a lowlife murderous thug...

whitecastlerock

I second that notion...

Bottomless Chips

Why is it always the hardest working, nicest people that get mowed down like dogs in the street?

Did you know him? That's an assumption. It may not be an enviable job, but doesn't mean he works harder than me or is nice.

whitecastlerock

Is it safe to assume that you are fucking asshole?

Bottomless Chips

Is it safe to assume that you are fucking asshole?

Huh?

It just seemed absolutely ridiculous to demonize this guy because he killed a "hard working, nice guy" when the person DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HIM?!?

Demonize him for killing an innocent victim. But to pretend you know him and characterize him as a nice guy--though he may have been--is weird.

hotstepper

stupid point. moving on...

Bottomless Chips

I think jibbly's first comment was odd. I'm up for moving on.

jibbly

Alright, you have a point. I mean, working 6 days a week, 12 hours a day, riding a scooter through shit weather to deliver chinese food so that he could support his family doesn't mean that he was hard working. Shoot, what he did was cakewalk, he may as well have been jerking around on the internet, commenting on blogs.

My assumption that he's a nice guy, well, that I'm standing firm on.

Bottomless Chips

Did you know him? That's an assumption. It may not be an enviable job, but doesn't mean he works harder than me or is nice.

I never said he wasn't hard working.

Shoot, what he did was cakewalk, he may as well have been jerking around on the internet, commenting on blogs.

Look, I'm not going to demonize this poor sap who got mowed down but you're still being ridiculous---it's a shitty job, but it's not your job that makes you hard working it's your work ethic that makes you considered to be "hard working." This notion that because you have a tough job you're automatically a "hard working, nice guy" is so odd.

Again, he could be but let's just relax here---nobody here knows him.

whitecastlerock

The hollow barrel makes the most noise... could you keep it down oh wise one?

bitchyme

HAHA, I agree with you.

jibbly

"but you're still being ridiculous---it's a shitty job, but it's not your job that makes you hard working it's your work ethic that makes you considered to be "hard working."

Someone working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week at a shit job to support their family demonstrates a pretty damn good work ethic to me. But sure, I didn't know him, maybe he really was a lazy asshole.

So alright, let's move on.