A moment of anger ended the dreams of a 48-year-old Hispanic man from Jamaica, Queens, when he had a fight with a subject at the Jackson Heights subway station about accidentally bumping into him, according to police.
According to the authorities, following the accident, the 50-year-old individual with whom he had the altercation was upset because his cell phone fell on the train tracks. In the fight, the Hispanic, identified as Heriberto Quintana, fell on the lines of the F train and was run over.
“Unfortunately, these are the times people are living in now that they are only aware of the phone and nothing else,” said Nelson Flores, a subway user.
The incident occurred on the eastbound platform just before 5pm on Monday. At rush hour, when Nelson Flores takes the train from work every day.
“Sadness, sadness, because he shouldn’t be on the phone,” Flores added.
By the hour, the victim was perhaps also on his way home from work. Both men seem to have lost their temper, some believe.
“That we all quit our jobs and are stressed,” said Iván Arévalo.
“It’s a lack of patience, a lack of sanity, because she imagines right now that there are so many people taking trains and everything,” said Martha Cecilia Quesada.
This is the ninth person to lose his life in violent accidents in the New York subway so far this year. Another was stabbed inside a bus.
From the terminal, located between 74th Street and central Roosevelt Avenue, the man was taken to hospital and his death was confirmed there.
“For accidents like this it’s not worth losing your life,” Quesada added.
The second man involved in the brawl was taken into police custody as authorities review security videos and try to determine his level of guilt for the incident.
