Tragic Consequences Following Harassment and Vehicular Assault

In a heartbreaking incident that has shaken the Queens community, 38-year-old Edwin Cruz-Gomez stands accused of deliberately using his vehicle as a deadly weapon against a teenage girl who rejected his inappropriate advances. The tragedy unfolded outside Prima Donna Restaurant in Elmhurst, where 16-year-old Jhoanny Alvarez was leaving a family event with her mother, boyfriend, and stepfather. What began as crude harassment escalated into violence when Cruz-Gomez allegedly directed explicit and unwanted sexual comments toward both Alvarez and her mother. According to Assistant District Attorney Abigail Neumiller, Cruz-Gomez made deeply inappropriate propositions, asking if they would have sex with him for money. When Alvarez’s stepfather intervened to protect his family, the situation escalated into a physical confrontation before bystanders managed to separate the parties.

The situation took a deadly turn when Cruz-Gomez, rather than walking away from the altercation, made the deliberate choice to get behind the wheel of his 2009 Chevy Suburban while heavily intoxicated. Prosecutors described how he “took it upon himself” to pursue vengeance, accelerating at high speed and intentionally maneuvering his three-ton vehicle in a reckless manner. He drove the wrong way down a one-way street, mounted the sidewalk, navigated around obstacles, and targeted the family. The impact was devastating – young Jhoanny Alvarez was struck with such force that prosecutors described her as being “impaled,” causing fatal injuries. Her mother also suffered leg injuries requiring hospitalization, while the third family member was also struck. After the collision, Cruz-Gomez reversed his vehicle against the flow of traffic until hitting an unoccupied van, then abandoned his SUV and fled the scene on foot.

When later encountered by police, Cruz-Gomez attempted to portray himself as the victim, claiming he had been assaulted. He led officers back to the scene and acknowledged hitting a pole while admitting to driving without a license. What makes this case particularly disturbing were his statements to police, which revealed both his intoxicated state and his apparent awareness of his actions. “I was talking to a guy about meeting girls. I may have said the wrong thing. I was upset,” he allegedly told officers. “I got in my car. I followed them. I crashed my car into a pole.” Most chillingly, he asked officers, “Did I kill her?” – suggesting he understood the potential consequences of his actions. Testing revealed his blood alcohol level at 0.137 – nearly twice the legal limit – even four hours after the collision.

This tragedy is compounded by the fact that Cruz-Gomez should never have been behind the wheel at all. Court records revealed a troubling history of similar behavior. Earlier this year, he had been charged with driving while intoxicated on Long Island’s Southern State Parkway, resulting in his license being suspended after the January incident. Just six months later, he was again caught speeding and driving with a suspended license by Nassau County police. Despite this pattern of dangerous driving behavior, he had somehow been granted a conditional license – a privilege that Judge Lana Schlesinger immediately suspended during his arraignment for these new charges. During the court hearing, Cruz-Gomez appeared visibly displeased, scowling throughout the proceedings as prosecutors detailed the charges against him.

The legal consequences Cruz-Gomez now faces are appropriately severe for the magnitude of his alleged crimes. He has been charged with second-degree murder, three counts of attempted murder, multiple assault charges, vehicular manslaughter, and various driving under the influence offenses. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz emphasized the gravity of the situation in her statement: “The defendant pinned the teen against a pole with his vehicle and injured her mother and stepfather as he barreled his 3-ton vehicle into them. This defendant is now charged with murder and related crimes, and we will seek justice for Alvarez and her family.” Judge Schlesinger ordered Cruz-Gomez to be held without bail, recognizing the severity of the charges and his previous history of irresponsible driving behavior.

The ripple effects of this senseless tragedy extend far beyond the courtroom. A family has lost their teenage daughter – a high school student with her whole life ahead of her – in the most violent and preventable of circumstances. Her mother and stepfather must now cope not only with their physical injuries but also with the unimaginable grief of losing a child. The community faces the sobering reality that public spaces can suddenly become dangerous through the impulsive, aggressive actions of individuals like Cruz-Gomez. If convicted, he faces 25 years to life in prison – a severe punishment that nevertheless cannot restore what was lost. As Cruz-Gomez awaits his next court appearance on September 19, the case stands as a stark reminder of how quickly harassment can escalate to violence, how deadly a vehicle can become in the hands of an intoxicated and angry driver, and how permanent the consequences are for everyone involved – especially for the young victim who lost her life simply for rejecting unwanted advances while out with her family.