Photo: CBS2
What should have been a common sense thing (i.e. not smoking around children) turned into a nasty argument and into a tragedy, when the smoker that had been admonished rammed his car into a family of 8.
It happened in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven in Harverstraw, New York. A man, woman and their 6 children aged 1 to 10 were outside, together with another man who had just lit up a cigarette. An eyewitness tells ABC News that the father approached the man and asked him not to “blow smoke in my children’s faces.”
Again, even for a smoker, this is a common sense request, but this particular man didn’t see it that way. After the brief argument with the father, he walked over to his car, got in and then rammed the vehicle into the family. The police have identified the suspect as Jason Mendez, 35, of Washingtonville, New York, driving a car with Texas plates.
This was no accident, either.
“The smoker got into his car and plowed into the 7-Eleven, striking all eight members of the family,” ABC News notes. “He then reversed the vehicle and drove forward again, striking the family members a second time, according to police.”
The mother died on the spot, before the ambulance even arrived. The father and 2 children were hospitalized for their injuries and are listed as critical, while the other kids were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Mendez has been charged with second-degree murder and 7 counts of attempted murder, but the police don’t rule out additional charges as the investigation proceeds. When the officers arrived at the scene, Mendes was still in his car, holding a knife and refusing to cooperate or even respond to questions.
“He didn't say anything initially to the police officers,” Haverstraw Police Captain Martin Lund says. “He refused to drop the knife. Then he was tased at the scene and taken down.”
Mendes has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Again, even for a smoker, this is a common sense request, but this particular man didn’t see it that way. After the brief argument with the father, he walked over to his car, got in and then rammed the vehicle into the family. The police have identified the suspect as Jason Mendez, 35, of Washingtonville, New York, driving a car with Texas plates.
This was no accident, either.
“The smoker got into his car and plowed into the 7-Eleven, striking all eight members of the family,” ABC News notes. “He then reversed the vehicle and drove forward again, striking the family members a second time, according to police.”
The mother died on the spot, before the ambulance even arrived. The father and 2 children were hospitalized for their injuries and are listed as critical, while the other kids were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Mendez has been charged with second-degree murder and 7 counts of attempted murder, but the police don’t rule out additional charges as the investigation proceeds. When the officers arrived at the scene, Mendes was still in his car, holding a knife and refusing to cooperate or even respond to questions.
“He didn't say anything initially to the police officers,” Haverstraw Police Captain Martin Lund says. “He refused to drop the knife. Then he was tased at the scene and taken down.”
Mendes has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Google News