Man Shoved in Front of Train After Altercation Over Cell Phone; Suspect in Custody – Watch Videos

K. BrownOctober 18, 2022, 3:40 PM

On Monday, a 48-year-old man died from the injuries he suffered after he was allegedly pushed in front of an oncoming train by another man due to an altercation between the two over a cell phone.

According to reports from the New York Post, the deceased who was identified as Heriberto Quintana, bumped into 50-year-old Carlos Garcia at the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue 74th Street station in Queens, New York, shortly before 4:45 p.m. during the busy rush hour. Garcia’s phone fell onto the tracks after he was bumped into, which sparked the incident. An argument ensued between both men after Garcia demanded Quintana retrieve his phone from the tracks, but he refused.

It was initially reported that Garcia then allegedly pushed Quintana down onto the tracks in front of an oncoming Jamaica-bound F train, but alternative reports also stated that Quintana may have fallen onto the roadbed and into the train’s path accidentally during the scuffle.

An MTA station cleaner reportedly heard both men yelling and cursing in Spanish, then ran down to the platform after he heard screams. According to the MTA worker, Quintana was still alive after he was hit. The victim was carried to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Witnesses at the subway station reportedly attempted to capture Garcia, but he fled the scene on another train. The police have since apprehended the accused, who was taken into custody and charged with manslaughter on Tuesday.

Expressing sadness that violence on the subway appeared to be the new normal, the MTA worker said, “I’ve worked down here half my life. If it’s not a subway surfer, it’s a fight; if it’s not a fight, it’s a stabbing or a shooting.”

Watch footage of the first responders on the scene of the crime and Garcia being taken into custody below: