Police ID Man Dragged Through Brooklyn, Queens

By: Ruschell Boone

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Police have identified the man who was dragged under a car for nearly 20 miles from Queens to Brooklyn on Wednesday. NY1's Ruschell Boone filed the following report.

Still stunned by the news of his death, Guido Salvador Carabajo-Jara's cousin, Felix Jara, says his family in the U.S. and in Ecuador are devastated.

"Oh my God, everyone is crying, everyone is going crazy especially over there in my country, everybody is going crazy over there," said Jara.

Police say Carabajo-Jara was struck by a vehicle while crossing the road at 108th Street and 51st Avenue early Wednesday morning just after celebrating his 26th birthday.

Police say when the driver of that car stopped to report the incident, a van hit Carabajo-Jara and he became lodged underneath. The driver then traveled up to 20 miles to Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, before a pedestrian told him there was something dragging beneath his van. It's all just incomprehensible to Carabajo-Jara's family.

"I couldn't believe anything. So when I saw the body he looked like he was sleeping then I start crying," said Jara.

As they wept, family members said Carabajo-Jara, who had been living the the U.S. for five years was a hard working construction worker who sent money to his wife and four-year-old daughter in Ecuador every week. They said he was building a house back home and was planning to return next year.

"I saw yesterday the receipt and I started crying because it was like a little piece was missing from the paper for the receipt and I couldn't believe it. It's so hard," said Jara.

Police say the incident was accidental and they have no plans to charge either driver.