A Manhattan man has been indicted for allegedly killing a man and injuring a pedestrian while driving recklessly in July, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced on Tuesday.
Angel Melendez, 52, was charged in New York State Supreme Court on Sept. 16 on charges of second-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault, third-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child.
The harrowing traffic crash occurred on July 29, 2024, at approximately 3:40 p.m. when Melendez, who was driving a white Mercedes-Benz at the time, sped up on First Avenue between E. 96 and 105 Streets in East Harlem, veering between the left and right lanes while swerving to avoid cars and pedestrians.
During the horrific move, Melendez struck a woman’s shopping cart, narrowly missing her and other pedestrians along the way.
As the ordeal ensued, just a minute later, at the northwest corner of First Avenue and E. 105 Street, the driver zipped through a steady red light, and crashed into a parked motorcycle and car, according to court documents. The impact was so severe, that it caused the parked car to crash into another parked car, careening into and killing 51-year-old Nadjari Reid, who was standing between the two vehicles at the time.
“As alleged, Angel Melendez’s extremely reckless driving killed 51-year-old Nadjari Reid, a lifelong New Yorker, and injured a second pedestrian. My thoughts are with Mr. Reid’s loved ones as they continue to mourn his loss,” Bragg said. “Dangerous drivers who recklessly endanger, harm, or kill pedestrians will be held accountable.”
Melendez, whose 14-year-old son was in the car with him during the shocking chain-reaction collision, also injured a second victim who got out of the way in the nick of time.
The defendant’s next court date is Oct. 1 to set a motion schedule.
Members of the community said Reid was a beloved member of the neighborhood.
“Everyone loved him. He helped everyone in the neighborhood,” Chris Morales, a friend who grew up with Reid said in a CBS New York article. “It’s a big loss for the community. Look at the candles he has here. That says it all.”
The city saw 180 total traffic fatalities year to date through Sept. 8, which so far is down nearly 2% since 2023 during the same time period, according to the latest NYC data. Zeroing in on Manhattan North, there have been 19 total fatalities year to date in the area, up from 15 in 2023 during the same time period, the data shows.
