Queens Widower Demands Hate Crime Probe in Fatal High-Speed Crash
Michael Traeger demands New York authorities investigate if a fatal crash that killed his wife, Kara Traeger, had antisemitic motives, as driver Dawood Faisal faces separate charges for vandalizing a kosher shop.
Tragedy in Queens and Suspected Antisemitic Motive
Michael Traeger, a 70-year-old resident of Queens, is demanding that New York authorities investigate whether the car crash that killed his 71-year-old wife, Kara Traeger, was motivated by antisemitism. The demand follows revelations that the driver charged in the crash, 22-year-old Dawood Faisal, faces separate hate crime charges for vandalizing a kosher business that displayed Israeli flags.
Michael Traeger emphasized that the incident occurred in a heavily Jewish neighborhood.
"My contention is that he was in a Jewish area, a very Jewish area," Traeger explained. "It's a Jewish area... most of the eyewitnesses, and the people who caught him, were Jewish. He wasn't necessarily trying to kill Kara Traeger, hurt Michael Traeger, or kill me. But if you're going to do something like that in this area, the likelihood is that whoever gets hurt will be Jewish."
Traeger does not claim that the crash was a pre-planned vehicular attack targeting his wife. Instead, he wants authorities to examine whether there is a connection between Faisal's documented antisemitic hostility days prior and his decision to drive recklessly through a neighborhood with a large Jewish population.
High-Speed Collision
The crash occurred on May 25 at approximately 7:48 PM at the intersection of Francis Lewis Boulevard and Union Turnpike. According to the indictment, Faisal was driving a Toyota Prius at approximately 121 km/h (75 mph) in a zone with a speed limit of 56 km/h (35 mph).
Faisal allegedly ran two red lights, collided with a Mercedes driving on a green light, and then struck a Nissan. The impact pushed the Nissan into the crosswalk, striking the Traegers.
Michael Traeger recalled the moments of the collision:
"We didn't do anything wrong. We were crossing the street, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground next to my wife. The first thing I did was hit myself to make sure I was still alive. And then I saw my wife. I couldn't believe it happened."
Following the crash, Faisal fled the scene on foot. Bystanders pursued and held him until police arrived. He pleaded not guilty and is held without bail. In June, a grand jury indicted him on ten counts, including second-degree manslaughter, assault, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, and menacing. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Kara Traeger, a 71-year-old journalist and longtime Jewish community activist, suffered severe head trauma and died four days later. Michael sustained a shoulder injury, cuts to his hands, and facial bruising.
Prior Attacks on Kosher Business
Traeger's suspicions intensified after additional charges were filed against Faisal on July 31 for vandalizing Bagels & Co., a kosher eatery displaying Israeli flags and posters.
According to prosecutors, on May 15, Faisal knocked over nine planters and threw dirt at the shop. On May 23, just two days before the fatal crash, he returned, kicked 11 planters, and uprooted plants.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz stated:
"The defendant repeatedly targeted a Jewish-owned business and destroyed property in a despicable antisemitic act."
However, a spokesperson for the District Attorney's office told the Forward that there is no evidence Faisal targeted the Traegers, and the crash is not being investigated as a hate crime.
Michael Traeger has also called on City Council Member Zohran Mamdani, known for his sharp anti-Israel stance, to meet with him to demonstrate that the safety of Jewish residents is taken seriously.
