Prosecutor: Bronx driver on trial for critically injuring cyclist while leading police on a chase through Astoria

July 23, 2024 By Bill Parry

A grand jury in Queens indicted a Bronx man for striking an e-bike rider during a chase through the streets of Astoria earlier this month and then speeding away to elude police.

Harold Vega, 46, of Jackson Avenue in the Mott Haven neighborhood, was arraigned Tuesday in Queens Supreme Court on 13 counts, including assault, reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident and other related offenses while fleeing police on July 3. During the chase, Vega allegedly struck the bicyclist, causing the victim to be thrown into the air and suffering severe head trauma when he hit the pavement. The victim remains hospitalized, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.

“This was a high-speed chase in the very busy Astoria neighborhood that endangered the life of every single person on the road,” Katz said. “To elude police, Harold Vega disregarded 26 red lights and 14 stop signs, drove against the direction of traffic and on the sidewalk, and drove at dangerous speeds through crowded streets on a hot summer afternoon.”

According to the indictment, on July 3, at approximately 4:33 p.m., an officer with the 114th Precinct in Astoria spotted a gray 2003 Nissan Altima with its license plate obscured by a tinted cover near the Ravenswood Houses at the intersection of 36th Avenue and 21st Street. Upon performing a computer check, the officer determined that the license plate attached to the vehicle belonged to another car.

The officer attempted to make a traffic stop by turning on the lights and siren on his unmarked police vehicle. Vega then stopped for about four seconds before entering the intersection at a red light, turning around, and speeding away. During the ensuing chase, the officer observed Vega run 25 more red lights and 14 stop signs, drive against the direction of traffic, ignore double yellow lines, weave through traffic, nearly hit several pedestrians, and drive onto the sidewalk to evade arrest.

When Vega ran a red light at the corner of 31st Avenue and Crescent Street, he struck the victim, Arturo Aguirre Matias, who was riding an electric pedal bike on Crescent Street. The victim was riding in the marked bike lane and had the flow of traffic and a green light in his favor. Vega did not stop and continued driving recklessly until he collided with a parked car with enough force that the airbags deployed.

The defendant struck the cyclist at the intersection of Crescent Street and 36th Avenue. The cyclist is still in critical condition at Elmhurst Hospital. Photo via Google Maps

The entire chase lasted about 11 minutes and went through residential and commercial areas, including the blocks surrounding Astoria Park. After Vega collided with the parked car, he fled on foot and was stopped by Good Samaritans who slowed him down enough for police to catch up with him near 24th Drive and 23rd Street. Vega resisted arrest as police attempted to handcuff him and was eventually taken into custody.

Emergency medical services took Matias to Elmhurst Hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

At the 114th Precinct, police found a glassine envelope containing a quantity of cocaine in Vega’s pocket. At the time of the chase, Vega was driving with a suspended license. The car he was driving was neither registered nor insured. Vega had been convicted of driving without a license in the previous 18 months.

“During the pursuit, the defendant struck an innocent bicyclist who had the right of way, leaving a father and husband in critical condition with severe head injuries,” Katz said. “The defendant’s alleged disregard for traffic laws is shocking.”

Vega was also charged with unlawful flight from a police officer in a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and other offenses. Queens Supreme Court Judge Michael Hartofilis continued to hold Vega in custody without bail and set a Sept. 14 return date. If convicted on the main charge, Vega faces a possible maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

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