Driver pleads guilty to manslaughter after fatal East Harlem crash.
Angel Melendez pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter after the July 29, 2024, collision at First Avenue and East 105th Street that killed pedestrian Nadjari Reid, 51; the official record lists the crash at 3:42 p.m.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
Prosecutors said Melendez sped north on First Avenue, swerved between lanes and drove through a red light before a chain reaction killed Reid. Melendez later pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, third-degree assault and second-degree reckless endangerment. Friends remembered Reid for his cooking, basketball and care for his community.
A high-speed run ended in a chain-reaction crash.
Manhattan prosecutors said Melendez drove north on First Avenue at high speed, swerved between lanes, struck a woman's shopping cart and drove through a steady red light at East 105th Street. They said he then crashed into a parked motorcycle and car, starting a chain reaction in which Reid died.
Reports differ on the lane change and how the parked vehicles moved. The New York Post, citing police and video, said Melendez changed from left to right; ABC7 reported a right-to-left change. The Post reported that Reid was caught in the chain reaction between a parked Tahoe and a postal box truck, and that the Tahoe was pushed into both the truck and an Infiniti. CBS reported a different sequence involving the box truck and Infiniti, while later prosecution reporting placed Reid between two parked cars.
The official record counts one death and three injuries: one pedestrian and two motorists.
The crash happened near Reid's home.
The official record places the collision at First Avenue and East 105th Street in Manhattan at 3:42 p.m. on July 29, 2024. CBS reported that Reid lived in an apartment only yards away and that a candlelight vigil formed at the scene.
Friends remembered Reid for his ties to the neighborhood.
Neighbors told ABC7 that Reid had lived in the area his whole life. His cousin Pat Wilson told the New York Post that he lived with his sister, had a teenage son, and loved cooking, basketball, friends and his community. Friends remembered his potato salad at gatherings. Friend Serena Arroyo said, "Nothing but kind, I'm going to miss him dearly."
Reports differ on vehicle type and model year.
The official record classifies Melendez's 2007 Mercedes as a sedan, while Patch's initial report calls it a Mercedes SUV. The record lists a 2009 Chevrolet SUV, a Suzuki motorcycle, a 2017 Ford box truck and a 2004 Infiniti sedan; the New York Post instead identified the Infiniti as a 2007 G350.
The official record identifies contributing factors.
The official record lists alcohol involvement as a collision contributing factor; its Mercedes entry also lists unsafe speed. Prosecutors separately described high-speed driving and running a red light.
Melendez pleaded guilty to three offenses.
Patch, citing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, reported that Melendez pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, third-degree assault and second-degree reckless endangerment.