Faisal charged with a hate crime for allegedly vandalizing Bagels & Co., a Jewish-owned Queens business that displayed Israeli flags and banners.
By Shula Rosen
The husband of a Jewish woman killed in a Queens car crash has raised questions about whether antisemitism played a role after learning that the driver was charged with hate crimes over vandalism at a Jewish-owned kosher bagel shop.
Michael Trager told The Daily Wire that he does not believe his wife, Cara Trager, 71, was specifically targeted but questioned whether the location of the May 25 crash could have been significant.
“The area itself is very, very Jewish,” Trager said. “If you’re going to do that kind of act in that area, at that time, you’re more than likely, if you’re going to kill somebody, to kill a Jew.”
Cara Trager, a photojournalist, and her husband were in a crosswalk when a vehicle driven by Dawood Faisal, 22, crashed into two cars, sending one of them into the couple.
Prosecutors said Faisal had been traveling at more than 75 mph in a 35-mph zone and ran two red lights before hitting the vehicles.
Cara Trager suffered severe head trauma and died four days later. Her husband sustained a shoulder injury, hand lacerations and facial bruising.
A Queens grand jury indicted Faisal in June on charges including second-degree manslaughter, second- and third-degree assault, leaving the scene of a crash and reckless driving.
He pleaded not guilty and has not been charged with a hate crime in connection with Cara Trager’s death.
Faisal was arrested July 31 by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force and charged with multiple counts of criminal mischief as a hate crime over separate incidents involving Bagels & Co., a Jewish-owned Queens business that displayed Israeli flags and banners. The alleged vandalism occurred before the fatal crash.
Michael Trager recalled regaining consciousness after the collision and realizing his wife had been gravely injured.
“I couldn’t believe it happened because I didn’t do anything wrong,” he told The Daily Wire. “We were crossing the street, and next thing I know, I’m on the ground with my wife.”
Trager also recalled seeing Faisal’s mother crying at her son’s arraignment.
“I’m thinking to myself, ‘What are you crying for? Are you crying for your son, or are you crying because your son killed my wife?’” he said.
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