Aug. 9, 2021 By Christian Murray
A 29-year-old hit-and-run driver who killed a pedestrian while speeding along Woodhaven Boulevard has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
David Garcia, of Ozone Park, was sentenced Thursday for killing Sivananaintha Perumal, 56, when he plowed into him at the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and 91st Avenue while speeding in his 2019 Black BMW.
“The defendant’s blatant disregard of the rules of the road resulted in a family’s tragic loss of a hardworking husband and father,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz in a statement Thursday. “The sentence imposed today by the court brings a measure of justice and punishes this defendant for his selfish choices while driving on the streets of Queens.”
Garcia struck Perumal at around 5 a.m. on July 25, 2019 while speeding on Woodhaven Boulevard. He was driving at speeds as high as 92 mph prior to hitting the victim as the light turned red at the 91st Avenue intersection.
Garcia fled the scene but was nabbed by police two weeks later.
Perumal was struck while crossing Woodhaven Boulevard on his way to his job at Dunkin’ Donuts. He was declared dead at the scene.
Garcia pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the second degree on May 20. He was sentenced last week to the indeterminate term of 3 1/3 to 10 years in prison.
Sivananaintha Perumal, pictured here, was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Woodhaven at about 5 a.m. July 25, 2019. David Garcia, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in May, was sentenced last week to the indeterminate term of 3 1/3 to 10 years in prison. (GoFundMe)
