A Long Island man accused of killing a 16-year-old girl by deliberately running into her with an SUV last month in Queens was arraigned on a 15-count indictment Tuesday.
Edwin Cruz Gomez, 38, of Uniondale, appeared in court to face murder, attempted murder, driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a crash, among other charges. He pleaded not guilty.
The girl’s mother and stepfather were also in court. They appeared to be in tears at times and looked distraught.
Teen propositioned, then fatally struck on Queens sidewalk, prosecutors say
An alleged drunk driver sexually harassed a teenage girl before striking her with his vehicle and killing her in Queens on Sept. 13, 2025, authorities say.
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Prosecutors say Cruz Gomez sexually propositioned 16-year-old Jhoanny Saray Gomez-Alvarez and her mother during the early morning hours of Sept. 13 outside Prima Donna Restaurant on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. Cruz Gomez got into a brief altercation with the girl’s stepfather, then allegedly got behind the wheel of a Chevy Suburban and drove onto the sidewalk.
Saray Gomez-Alvarez was killed, and her mother was severely injured.
“This was a completely preventable tragedy and our condolences are with the family and friends of Jhoanny as they continue to mourn her senseless loss,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement Tuesday.
Prosecutors say Cruz Gomez intentionally drove directly at the group, pinning Saray Gomez-Alvarez against a pole.
He then reversed, drove the wrong way down another street and crashed into a parked car before abandoning the SUV and fleeing on foot, according to prosecutors.
He allegedly flagged down NYPD officers a few blocks away and reported that he had been assaulted, leading the officers back to the crash scene.
Prosecutors say his blood alcohol content was between .18% and .21%, more than double the legal threshold of .08%.
Cruz Gomez was remanded into custody after Tuesday’s hearing and is scheduled to return to court on Dec. 2. If convicted of the most serious charges, he faces more than 27 years to life in prison.