NEW YORK (AP) – A 27-year-old man has been arrested on charges he killed a taxi driver by plowing into a yellow cab after running a red light while drunken driving in Queens earlier this week, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Freddy Ramlochan, of Brooklyn, was driving a minivan more than 60 miles per hour in a 30 mile-per-hour zone when he slammed into the taxi at about 1 a.m. Monday, setting it ablaze, the Queens district attorney’s office said in a news release.

The cab driver, Gurbaj Singh, 40, was pronounced dead at the scene.

“While the cab was burning and the victim was trapped inside, the defendant allegedly fled the scene without calling for help,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a statement.

Prosecutors said Ramlochan told police the 2000 Chevy Astrovan, which was owned by his stepfather, had been stolen. Ramlochan allegedly had bloodshot, watery eyes and smelled of alcohol, prosecutors said.

Authorities said they were charging him with second-degree manslaughter, driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, leaving the scene of an accident, third-degree falsely reporting an incident and other crimes.

Ramlochan’s lawyer did not immediately return a message left Thursday evening.


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