By Alex Davidson
Gurpreet Oberoi, of 116-11 91st Ave., was charged by the Manhattan District Attorney with leaving the scene of an accident, unauthorized use of a vehicle and driving with a suspended license, police said. The victim was Peter Hornbeck, 26, of 1392 Madison Avenue, cops said.
“I'm really shocked by all this,” said a woman who answered the door at 116-11 91st Ave. The woman, who would not give her name, said Oberoi moved out of the home two months ago.
The woman, who said she was not Oberoi's girlfriend or relative, said she did not know why Oberoi would have been in Manhattan when he allegedly struck Hornbeck Friday night at 11:45 p.m..
Hornbeck was struck when he attempted to cross the northbound side of Park Avenue at 96th Street, cops said. He was dragged along by the car for a block and immediately died from his wounds, police said.
A Police Department spokesman said the 1999 green Chevrolet Suburban that hit Hornbeck had been reported stolen since Nov. 14. Authorities found the abandoned vehicle at 100th Street and Lexington Avenue later Saturday morning, cops said.
According to published reports, Oberoi went to Atlantic City following the incident. He surrendered to authorities upon his return later the next day, the reports claimed.
Neighbors around Oberoi's home in Richmond Hill were unfamiliar with the alleged driver of the green suburban.
Police said the investigation into the crime was ongoing.
This is the second time in three weeks that a Queens man has been involved in a hit-and-run incident in Manhattan.
On Dec. 27, a Glen Oaks cab driver lost control of his vehicle and slammed into a newsstand on Manhattan's East side, killing a pedestrian with ties to Astoria.
The victim, identified by police as Ralph Onorato, 76, was taken to New York Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he later died, according to the hospital.
The cab driver, Sol Smuller, also 76, received minor injuries and was not charged, police said.
According to police, Smuller told them he was driving on Second Avenue when his gas pedal got stuck and the brakes failed. As a result, he careened into two cars before striking a newsstand near 57th Street, which fell onto Onorato, who was walking by. A worker at the newsstand was trapped, but a doorman pulled him to safety, police said. The New York Times identified the worker as Nurul “Bobby” Amin of Ozone Park.
Reach reporter Alex Davidson by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by calling 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
