1South Ozone Park man sentenced to 18 years for car theft that killed vehicle owner

Queens, NY — A 19-year-old South Ozone Park man was sentenced to 18 years in prison for stealing a car in 2023 while its owner clung to the roof, causing a violent crash that left the victim in a coma for nearly a year before his death.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Mahindra Hansraj pleaded guilty last month to first-degree manslaughter for the fatal incident. Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder imposed the sentence, which includes five years of post-release supervision.

On the night of February 20, 2023, Hansraj and two others approached a 2006 Lexus RX parked outside 104-21 Lefferts Boulevard. The SUV’s owner, 29-year-old Tauree Thompson of Richmond Hill, was nearby when

See Full Page