NEW YORK – A Walden woman who was driving an SUV on July 19, 2019 in Manhattan, striking two pedestrians, killing one and seriously injuring the other, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of manslaughter and assault, among other charges.
According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, at about 3:30 p.m., Jessenia Fajardo, 38, was driving on West End Avenue and as she approached the intersection of West End, she struck Alfred Pocari, 62, who died, and another pedestrian.
She was also charged in a May 21, 2019 incident at about 6:45 a.m., drove through a stop sign at the intersection of Desbrosses and Washington streets and over a pedestrian’s foot while the pedestrian was crossing inside a marked crosswalk.
Fajardo briefly got out of her vehicle, but fled the scene without providing any identifying information after the pedestrian indicated he was calling 911.
Fajardo faces eight counts in the indictment including one count of manslaughter; two counts of assault; one count of leaving the scene of an incident with mere failure to exhibit documents, with personal injury; and three misdemeanor counts of the right of way of pedestrians and bicyclists, causing physical injury.
“While other types of crime drop to historic lows across New York City, pedestrians and cyclists remain under constant threat of vehicular violence from habitually reckless drivers,” said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. “As alleged in this indictment, this defendant’s driving record demonstrates a history of disregard for our laws and the safety of fellow New Yorkers.”
