Edwin Cruz Gomez Video and the Death of Jhoanny Gomez-Alvarez

The early morning streets of Queens were shattered by violence and grief when prosecutors say a drunk driver, 38-year-old Edwin Cruz Gomez, deliberately plowed his SUV into a family, fatally striking 16-year-old Jhoanny Alvarez and injuring her mother and stepfather. The shocking case has horrified the community, not only because of the tragic loss of a young life but also due to the disturbing allegations that Gomez harassed Alvarez and her mother with crude remarks moments before the fatal crash.

On Sunday night, Gomez was arraigned on charges including murder, attempted murder, vehicular manslaughter, and driving while intoxicated, among others. If convicted, he faces 25 years to life in prison. Prosecutors revealed harrowing new details in court, painting a grim picture of how a night of drinking and harassment escalated into deadly violence.

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A Night That Turned Deadly and Video

The incident unfolded just after 4 a.m. on Saturday outside the Prima Donna Restaurant on Roosevelt Avenue, between Elmhurst Avenue and Benham Street. At that hour, the streets were still alive with late-night activity, and Gomez was reportedly among a group of men gathered outside the establishment.

Full uncensored video of the intentional crash caused by Edwin Cruz Gomez against Jhoanny Alvarez

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According to prosecutors, Gomez encountered Alvarez, who was out with her mother, stepfather, and her mother’s boyfriend. Witnesses say Gomez immediately turned aggressive, focusing his attention on Alvarez and her mother in a manner that alarmed bystanders.

“He was offering them money, trying to grab them, things that no one really knows,” said eyewitness Carlos Alejandro, describing the inappropriate advances. Prosecutors alleged Gomez propositioned Alvarez and her mother for acts, humiliating them and sparking a heated confrontation.

From Harassment to Violence

The verbal dispute soon escalated when Alvarez’s mother’s boyfriend confronted Gomez. Shouts turned to shoves, and before long, fists were raised. The fight became physical, forcing bystanders to intervene and separate the men. Witnesses recalled the chaotic scene, with voices raised and tensions flaring in the dark Queens street.

Once the altercation ended, Alvarez and her family tried to distance themselves from the situation. They crossed Roosevelt Avenue and Benham Street, moving to the opposite sidewalk in hopes of putting the confrontation behind them. But instead of defusing the situation, prosecutors say Gomez decided to retaliate in the most brutal way possible.

The Fatal Impact

Moments after the family crossed the street, Gomez allegedly climbed into his 2009 Chevrolet Suburban. Instead of driving away, prosecutors say he steered the three-ton SUV toward the family. Making a right turn onto Benham Street, Gomez accelerated onto the sidewalk, aiming directly at the group.

The SUV slammed into Alvarez, pinning the 16-year-old against a pole. The sheer force of the impact proved fatal. Her mother and stepfather were also struck and suffered injuries, while her mother’s boyfriend narrowly avoided being hit.

The suddenness of the attack left bystanders stunned. What had started as crude harassment just minutes earlier had transformed into a deadly act of vehicular assault.

Surveillance Video Captures the Horror

The most chilling evidence comes from surveillance video, which prosecutors say shows the terrifying sequence of events. In the footage, Alvarez can be seen in a white halter top, standing near her family on the sidewalk.

Within seconds, Gomez’s SUV surges onto the curb, heading straight toward her. The impact is swift and merciless. Family members immediately rush to the vehicle, pounding on its windows and pleading for Gomez to reverse so Alvarez could be freed. Witnesses recalled the screams echoing through the street, the desperation of a mother watching her child crushed by a massive SUV.

When Alvarez’s mother later identified her daughter’s body, the grief was so overwhelming she collapsed. Paramedics had to transport her on a stretcher, unable to walk under the weight of her loss.

The surveillance footage then shows Gomez shifting the SUV into reverse. Instead of helping, he recklessly drove backward, speeding the wrong way down Benham Street a one-way road. His escape ended when the vehicle crashed into an unoccupied van.

The Suspect’s Flight and Arrest

After the crash, Gomez abandoned his SUV and fled on foot. His attempt to escape, however, took an unexpected turn. According to authorities, he approached nearby NYPD officers and claimed that he had been assaulted earlier that night.

Unaware of his involvement at first, officers followed him back to the scene. But as investigators pieced together the details and tested Gomez’s blood alcohol level, the picture became clearer. Police say his blood alcohol concentration was above the legal limit, confirming suspicions that he had been drinking heavily.

Gomez was taken into custody and later arraigned on a series of charges reflecting both the deliberate nature of the crash and his impaired state at the time.

A Courtroom Revelation

During Sunday night’s arraignment, prosecutors laid out the grim sequence of events before a somber courtroom. The allegations of harassment, the violent escalation, and the deliberate act of driving onto a sidewalk to strike an innocent teenager stunned those listening.

For the Alvarez family, the arraignment offered no comfort. They were still grappling with the unimaginable loss of their daughter. For the wider community, the revelations fueled outrage how a night of drinking and harassment spiraled into an act of murder on the streets of Queens.

Gomez is scheduled to return to court on Friday, September 19. If convicted on all counts, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Community Anger and Grief

The reaction from the Queens community has been one of grief mixed with fury. The senselessness of the crime targeting a teenage girl and her family after harassing them has left neighbors shaken.

Eyewitness Carlos Alejandro expressed the anger felt by many: “I hope God’s full punishment falls on him and takes care of his death.”

The case has sparked broader conversations about nightlife safety in the borough, particularly the dangers posed by intoxicated individuals leaving bars and restaurants. The fact that Gomez allegedly combined harassment, violence, and drunk driving into one deadly act has made the tragedy especially difficult to process.

Larger Issues Raised by the Case

While this case is unique in its disturbing details, it highlights broader social issues that extend far beyond Queens.

First, it underscores the devastating impact of drunk driving. Despite decades of public campaigns, strict laws, and enforcement, individuals continue to get behind the wheel while intoxicated sometimes with fatal consequences.

Second, the case draws attention to the issue of street harassment and gender-based violence. For Alvarez and her mother, what began as a degrading confrontation in public escalated into life-threatening violence. The connection between harassment, escalation, and eventual physical harm cannot be ignored.

Finally, it raises concerns about pedestrian safety. Even on city sidewalks spaces meant to be safe from vehicles pedestrians remain vulnerable when drivers use their cars as weapons. The deliberate act of mounting a sidewalk to attack people has become a tragic pattern in some urban crimes.

The Road Ahead: Justice for Jhoanny Alvarez

As the legal process moves forward, the Alvarez family faces the painful reality of life without their daughter. Sixteen-year-old Jhoanny Alvarez’s future was cut short in an act of violence that prosecutors say could have been avoided.

The community will watch closely as Gomez returns to court, hoping the justice system delivers accountability. For many, the hope is not only for punishment but also for a renewed commitment to addressing the dangers of harassment, alcohol-fueled violence, and reckless driving.

The death of Jhoanny Alvarez is more than just another crime statistic it is a human tragedy that has left a family broken and a community outraged. Prosecutors allege that in a matter of minutes, Edwin Cruz Gomez transformed from a drunk man making offensive comments into a killer behind the wheel.

As the case unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder of how quickly harassment and intoxication can turn deadly. Whether through stronger enforcement, cultural change, or harsher penalties, the goal must be to prevent another family from enduring the heartbreak that the Alvarez family now faces.

For now, Queens mourns the loss of a young life full of promise, while awaiting justice in a case that has shaken the conscience of an entire city.

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