Aug 13, 2009 8:05 pm US/Eastern
Police Charge Drivers In Queens 'Drag Race' Crash
12-Year-Old Boy In Critical Condition As A Result Of Devastating Crash Wednesday Night
Police: Teenage Drivers Charged With At Least 2 Felonies Each
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Police are eyeing drag racing as the cause of a serious car accident that left an 12-year-old boy in critical condition in Queens. A silver BMW is seen here after the crash on August 12, 2009.
CBS
Too fast, too furious.
Drag racing is believed to be the cause of a serious car accident in Queens that left a 12-year-old boy fighting for his life. Police said Thursday they are charging two teenage drivers responsible for the high-speed crash on Francis Louis Boulevard late Wednesday night.
The drivers are being charged with at least two felonies each: vehicular assault and reckless endangerment.
According to police, a BMW and a Lexus were speeding along the busy Queens boulevard when the BMW's driver lost control and slammed into several parked cars.
David Badalov, 18-year-old driver of the BMW, and the two male passengers, ages 18 and 12, were all rushed to Booth Memorial Hospital in Queens. Police say the younger victim, identified as Aviv Babayeva, is in critical condition with head trauma and broken bones.
"We don't know nothing yet. Everybody's at the hospital. Whatever happened, we are still waiting for information," said Uri Badalov, David's uncle.
Both Badalov and the other 18-year-old suffered minor injuries.
The 16-year-old driver of the Lexus, identified as David Lakhachakov, was captured by CBS 2 HD cameras telling police he wasn't racing. He was given a breathalyzer test at the scene and got a slap to the back of the head from his aunt when he loudly insisted to police he wasn't racing.
Witnesses described what they saw to CBS 2 HD.
"I saw one car bump the car on the left, took two or three spins, van moved 30 feet up," said Peter Boudouvas. "I jumped out, called 911 and asked nobody to move."
One witness said the teens were speeding before the BMW driver lost control.
Mike Dodge, who also saw the crash, described the painful process of extricating the 12-year-old from the back of the BMW:
"The whole back of the BMW was crushed. There was like practically no seat. Then we saw them take the jaws of life and clip the top of the BMW off the car," said Dodge. "Took the kids out on stretchers, and they didn't look like they were alive.
Sources within the Queens District Attorney's office say they're mulling over additional charges for the driver of the BMW. Since there was a 12-year-old in the back of that car, a possible charge of endangering the welfare of a child could also be filed.
Five years ago, two teenagers crossing Francis Lewis on their way to a movie were critically injured by a drag racing hit-and-run driver. Police at the time stepped up enforcement of the anti-drag racing laws.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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