QUEENS, NY – Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced the indictment of Kevin Gomez for manslaughter in the death of 3-year-old Quintus Chen in Flushing. Gomez allegedly hit the child with his car, dragging him about 10 feet before fleeing the scene. District Attorney Katz described the incident as a result of Gomez’s recklessness and indifference to human life, highlighting the dangers posed by unlicensed drivers operating unregistered, uninsured vehicles with excessively tinted windows.
Gomez, a 20-year-old resident of Maspeth, faces a 14-count indictment, including charges of manslaughter, assault, leaving the scene of an incident, criminally negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, and operating a vehicle without a license. He could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
The incident occurred on November 29, when Gomez parked his 2014 white Infiniti Q50 in a No Standing Zone and entered a Dunkin Donuts. Quintus Chen was walking ahead of his father and stepped off the curb in front of Gomez’s car. Surveillance footage showed the child’s head clearing the car’s hood, indicating he would have been visible to Gomez.
Without signaling, Gomez pulled into a traffic lane, resulting in Quintus being thrown from the hood and dragged under the car. The child suffered severe head and neck trauma and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Later, the Infiniti was found parked near a fire hydrant, with blood observed on the driver’s side and excessively tinted windows, which hindered visibility. Gomez was arrested after inquiring about his car at the precinct.
He held only a learner’s permit and was driving without a licensed adult, in a vehicle with expired registration and insurance.