By Philip Newman
A Richmond Hill man has been arraigned on charges that include driving under the influence of alcohol when his car collided with a motorcycle, injuring its two passengers, one of them critically.
“By his alleged actions, the defendant illustrated the lethal consequences resulting from driving while intoxicated,” said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.
Brown said Omesh Mohan, 29, of 103-21 135th St. in Richmond Hill, was arraigned Saturday before Queens Criminal Court Judge Manuel Mendez.
Mohan was charged with first- and second-degree vehicular assault, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and having no insurance, the DA said.
Mohan was held on $100,000 bail and ordered to return to court Sept. 5, the DA said,. If convicted, he could face up to seven years in prison.
Brown said that according to the charges, Mohan was driving on 124th Street in a 2005 Cadillac Escalade SUV between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. Friday when he approached the intersection of 124th Street and Atlantic Avenue. He allegedly told police he had stopped at a stop sign and looked both ways but when he pulled away, a motorcycle struck his car on the driver’s side, the DA said.
Police said when they arrived they found Mohan standing next to his car, which was halfway into the intersection with damage to the driver’s side rear and front doors. A Suzuki motorcycle was partly under the car.
Police reported that the driver of the motorcycle, Naquawn McIntosh, 23, was semi-conscious and pinned between the motorcycle and the Cadillac.
Authorities said a blood alcohol test administered to Mohan showed a reading of .17 percent — above the legal limit of .08 percent in New York. Mohan allegedly told police that prior to the collision he visited a club called Underground, where he consumed one vodka drink. He also said he was operating the Cadillac at the time of the collision.
The state Department of Motor Vehicles records indicated that insurance on the Escalade expired Aug. 13.
Corney McIntosh, 21, the motorcycle passenger, was found inside the Cadillac, bleeding from the face and arms and was in critical condition, the DA said. Naquawn McIntosh suffered a neck fracture.
Reach contributing writer Philip Newman by e-mail at timesledgernews@cnglocal.com or phone at 718-260-4536.
