Quantcast

Driver Who Fatally Struck Pedestrian Held On $150K Bail

2009_08_pauljim.jpg The husband of a woman who was killed when an out-of-control van struck a parked car which then hit her told the Daily News, "This is horrible... She was a great mom. I have to raise my kids by myself. I have no choice. She did everything for us." Paula Jimenez, a Virginia resident and mother of two, was at a high school reunion picnic at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park; she was walking near some parked cars when the van "came barreling down an exit ramp off the Van Wyck Expressway... [The van] plowed into a parked car, which then smashed into the helpless Jimenez," severing her spinal cord and "severely injur[ing] her head and kidneys." The van's driver Jian Seng He was charged with second-degree homicide and held on $150,000 bail; his lawyer said his brakes malfunctioned while prosecutors say he was trying to chase another car on the Van Wyck. Grieving Andrew Jimenenz told the News that doctors called him to say his wife was brain-dead, "They were trying to keep her alive for organ donation. She always wanted to give up her organs. ... She always gave up herself."

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

Comments [rss]

  • slny

    What does this have to do with his Korean background?

    Why the racist remarks?

    What, Orientals drive too carefully and value their lives?

    That's bad?

    Once in a while you get a jack_ss.

    The problem is that this d_ck was driving too fast for his breaks to stop the 5000LBs on a dime.

    He is scum, not his race. Get off your high horse.



    How about the poor victim?

    Beautiful girl.

    Too bad her life was cut short. The fact that she decided to be an organ donor makes her a special person.

  • Mr. Know-It-All

    Um, I didn't go back over them with a fine-toothed comb, but, slny, I think yours is the first comment to mention his Korean background. Maybe you should get off YOUR high horse.

  • Spirit of 76

    All you had to do was look. There's a gap in the comments numbers. [7] and [8] are missing, so I would guess they were something very offensive and were reported and removed. No surprise. We have quite a few subtle and not so subtle racists among the usual commenters.

  • I Hate The 7 Train

    People cannot drive FOR SHIT in that park!!



    The problem with that park is a key vehicle road runs parallel to the Van Wyck, and so idiot drivers feel the need to keep pace with the traffic on the highway instead of remembering ... THEY'RE IN A FUCKING PARK!!!



    To add to the stupidity is that there is a single speed sign in the entire park telling people the speed limit is 15MPH ... and since when did car drivers listen to those things ?



    This morning I saw the roses and picture of her where she was hit. Sad :(

  • buttface

    These are becoming popular with parents who want to track the driving activity of their kids. See their most recent top speeds, where they've been, etc.



    As far as requiring them, you're opening the whole privacy/rights can of worms.

  • Spirit of 76

    You're too late. Within the last couple of years, virtually all cars coming off the production line have EDRs as standard equipment. The only thing the government was asked to do was to force standardization of the EDRs, since they're made by several different companies.

  • Dirk

    Right... the brakes suddenly failed.

  • Cautious Pessimist

    Considering the number of people who die/get injured in car crashes, and the incredible amount of money spent on the resulting prosecution/evidence gathering/civil trials, I'm surprised all cars aren't required to have some kind of small "black box" style recording device to show what the driver did in the moments leading up to a crash. It doesn't have to record that much, just the steering wheel, gas, and brake pedal movements, whether the e-brake was used, and maybe what gear the car is in.



    It would certainly be able to tell if this guy is a complete waste of human life or not.

  • Spirit of 76

    Many new cars do have black boxes.



    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event_data_recorder

  • faprilano

    check his immigration status while you are at it......

  • ides_of_march

    Lock the bastard up.

  • Trilby16

    Gee, don't you just hate it when your brakes malfunction?



    Seriously, throw the book at this driver.

  • drewo
    his lawyer said his brakes malfunctioned

    His lawyer should throw in the other big 3 that are generally accepted excuses when your car kills or maims another person or persons:
    - Accelerator got stuck
    - Did not see anyone
    - Did not hear anything.
  • MrManhattan

    I think when a lawyer makes these kind of statements, they should be identified by name.



    While they are clearly protected from being legally punished for asinine remarks, at least their neighbors, friends, family and potential clients will know who they are.

blog comments powered by Disqus

send a tip

tips@gothamist.com