Man dies in car crash while fleeing police after allegedly abducting and sexually assaulting 9-year-old girl

A man suspected of kidnapping a 9-year-old girl from a supermarket in New York City and sexually assaulting her in his car met a fatal end on Friday as he crashed his vehicle while attempting to escape from the police. The incident unfolded in Queens, where officers tried to stop the 64-year-old suspect’s car during the early afternoon, resulting in a pursuit. The suspect ran a stop sign and collided with another vehicle, ultimately succumbing to his injuries at a hospital. The driver of the other vehicle sustained minor injuries in the crash.

According to New York Police Department Assistant Chief Jason Savino, the man had approached the young girl at the Key Food store on Thursday evening while her grandmother was in the restroom. He coerced her to walk ahead of him, forcefully grabbed her hair, and took her outside. After pushing her into his car, he drove a short distance, assaulted her, and abandoned her on the street.

The perpetrator, a resident of Queens, had a history of arrests, with the most recent being for robbery in 2022. During the robbery incident, he had also forced a victim into his vehicle, but she managed to escape. The police shared these details during a news conference following the tragic events.