A Queens grand jury indicted an East Hampton man on a slew of felony charges for a fatal hit-and-run collision in Corona on New Year’s Day that left one man dead and another seriously injured.

Jonathan Barbecho, 31, of Oakview Highway, is being held without bail after he was arraigned on Thursday, Aug. 6, on a 19-count indictment charging him with aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, assault and other offenses for a deadly hit-and-run collision that killed 27-year-old Darwin Adrian Malan Cargua and seriously injured another young man in the vicinity of 102nd Street and 37th Avenue after a night of heavy drinking. Barbecho fled to Ecuador after the collision and was recently apprehended attempting to enter Honduras.

According to the charges and investigation, Jonnathan Barbecho was with a group of people in a bar on 104th Street in Corona on Dec. 31, 2025. At approximately 4 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2026, Barbecho left the bar and entered his white Chevrolet Traverse SUV to drive home two of his companions.  

Barbecho was allegedly driving southbound at a high rate of speed on 102nd Street when he passed through the intersection of 37th Avenue. As he drove through the intersection, two pedestrians — Darwin Adrian Malan Cargua and Luis Paco Romero Gaucho — were walking from east to west in the crosswalk on 102nd Street. The defendant allegedly struck both men and continued southbound without stopping to render aid or identify himself.

Malan Cargua was thrown underneath a parked car from the impact and declared dead at the scene due to his blunt force head injuries. Gaucho, who was one day shy of his 24th birthday, was transported by EMS to Elmhurst Hospital and underwent multiple surgeries. He currently remains in a vegetative state. 

Following the crash, Barbecho drove a short distance and stopped his car near 39th Avenue and 103rd Street. He allegedly refused to return to the collision scene and he and his companions parted ways.  

On Jan. 2, Barbecho boarded a 4 a.m. flight from Kennedy Airport to Ecuador. On Jan. 3, investigators discovered the defendant’s white SUV parked in the area with the license plates and registration removed and front-end collision damage. Barbecho’s license had been suspended following his arrest on April 13, 2025, for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was allegedly found passed out in the driver’s seat of his car at 2:14 a.m. while double-parked with the engine running on 37th Avenue and Warren Street, where he partially blocked the intersection in the same vehicle. An Intoxilyzer exam allegedly showed that Barbecho had a blood alcohol content of .106, which was above the legal threshold of .08. That case was pending in Queens Criminal Court when the Jan. 1 incident occurred. 

Barbecho failed to return to court for an appearance on those charges and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest on Jan. 23, 2026. 

Barbecho was stopped by local authorities when he attempted to enter Honduras and was sent back to the United States to face justice.

“As alleged, this defendant turned what should have been a night of celebration into one of tragedy when he drove drunk and plowed into two young men who were crossing the street,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “One man was killed and another remains in a vegetative state. The defendant then fled from the crash and left the country on a one-way ticket. Thank you to our federal law enforcement partners. He has been returned to Queens to face serious charges against him.”

Queens Supreme Court Justice Gary Miret remanded Barbecho into custody without bail and ordered him to return to court on Aug. 21. If convicted, he faces more than 25 years in prison.