Staten Island Man Indicted for Murder in Fatal Sunset Park Hit-and-Run Crash

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, September 5, 2025

Staten Island Man Indicted for Murder in Fatal Sunset Park Hit-and-Run Crash

Defendant Allegedly Drove with BAC up to
.19 Before Killing Two Pedestrians

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Staten Island man has been arraigned on an indictment charging him with murder, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and related offenses for allegedly driving drunk, running a steady red light and striking two men who were crossing the street in a crosswalk in Sunset Park. The defendant then allegedly fled the scene without stopping.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, "This defendant allegedly chose to drive drunk and speed through a red light, and two innocent men lost their lives while simply crossing the street. Kexun Chen and Faqiu Lin should still be with their families today. We will fight for justice on their behalf and make clear that reckless drivers who endanger lives will be held fully accountable."

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Juventino Anastacio Florentino, 23, of Staten Island. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice ¬¬Dineen Riviezzo on an indictment in which is he charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree manslaughter, two counts of criminally negligent homicide and related charges. Bail was set at $300,000 bond or $100,000 cash and the defendant was ordered to return to court on November 14, 2025.

It is alleged that on July 11, 2025, at approximately 4:22 a.m., the defendant was driving southbound on Third Avenue when he allegedly sped through a steady red light at 52nd Street and struck two men who were in the crosswalk with the right of way. The victims were identified as Kexun Chen, 80, and Faqiu Lin, 59. The defendant then allegedly fled the crash site without reporting the incident. Both victims were later pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators recovered video surveillance and vehicle parts at the crash site, and license plate reader technology identified the BMW. The defendant was arrested later that morning at his Staten Island residence. According to the investigation, the defendant's vehicle displayed damage consistent with striking pedestrians, and the defendant showed signs of intoxication. Testing indicated his blood alcohol content was between .13 and .19 - well above the legal limit of .08. Approximately eight hours after the crash, the defendant allegedly blew a .04 on a breath test and admitted to drinking earlier that night.

The District Attorney thanked detectives of the NYPD's Highway District Brooklyn Collision Investigation Squad and the detectives of the NYPD's Brooklyn South Video Team for their case enhancement and assistance in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adam Ghalmi, of the District Attorney's Green Zone Trial Bureau, with assistance from Assistant District Attorney Christopher Velez, Deputy Bureau Chief of the Street Safety Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Nocella, Chief of the Street Safety Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Boykin, Deputy Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Cassandra Pond, Deputy Bureau Chief, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Frank DeGaetano, Bureau Chief.

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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant's guilt.