Brooklyn road rage dispute ends with man dragged for blocks, cops say

In Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Thursday night, a man was dragged by a van for two blocks after a road rage dispute, cops said. Photo Credit: Charles Eckert

A road rage dispute in Brooklyn turned deadly Thursday night when a man was dragged for two blocks by a vehicle, the NYPD said.

A white van and another vehicle crashed near 65th Street and Third Avenue in Bay Ridge around 9:15 p.m., police said. Immediately following the minor accident, the 55-year-old driver of the van — identified by the NYPD Friday evening as David Cruz, of Bay Ridge — began to argue with a 65-year-old man who was a passenger in the second vehicle driven by his wife, they added.

The 65-year-old walked in front of the van and was struck when Cruz accelerated to leave the scene, police said. The dispute ended abruptly when the victim got caught under the van, causing him to be dragged for blocks, cops said.

Cruz stopped at the intersection of 67th Street and Third Avenue, where first responders removed the victim from under the van, cops said. He is being charged with second-degree murder, according to the NYPD.

The 65-year-old, identified as Brooklyn resident Gavriel Mardaknayevy, was taken to Lutheran Medical Center for treatment, but was pronounced dead on arrival, police said.

Cruz was taken into custody at the scene.