Widow of man killed in argument inside Queens subway station says husband was rushing home to take her to dialysis treatment
NEW YORK -- A man who was killed after an argument inside a Queens subway station is being remembered as a devoted husband and loving father of three.
Police say it started over a cell phone falling onto the tracks after the victim bumped into another man Monday night.
His devastated widow sat down with CBS2's Kevin Rincon.
Wiping away tears, Hilda Rojas can't begin to process why or how her husband, Heriberto Quintana, isn't here.
Monday night, she got a call from the hospital, saying her husband was there. She asked to speak with him. When she was told no, she realized something was wrong.
In Spanish, she told Rincon her husband never fought with anyone and was always kind. They've been here for decades, and they have three kids -- two who are now adults and a 14-year-old.
Quintana worked construction to support them. He changed jobs a week ago and only then started taking the train.
READ MORE: Man dies after being struck by subway during fight on platform in Jackson Heights, Queens
Monday night, he was in a rush to get home to take his wife to her dialysis treatment. While waiting on the subway platform in Jackson Heights, police say he bumped into another rider, knocking his phone down onto the tracks.
She says investigators told her he insisted he wasn't going to jump down and get it, which led to a fight. The two wrestled on the ground, before Quintana was struck by a train.
The other man, 50-year-old Carlos Garcia, was arrested and charged with manslaughter.
MTA President Richard Davey, while making a stop at Union Square, talked about the incident and says he wishes things were handled differently.
"My god, please, de-escalate situations. We can get your phones or personal effects that fall on the tracks. We do it all the time," he said.
The agency has focused on trying to get more officers at subway stations, but even that doesn't always help.
"The police were on the platform yesterday when that incident occurred," Davey said. "In some of these senseless crimes that are occurring, even the presence of police hasn't been able to stem that."
For many New Yorkers, there's a growing frustration centered around public transit when it comes to reliability and safety.
"This is my only option, too, and I'm really resentful that I have to pay, pay not only to enter the subway, but pay taxes to enable this gaslighting and degrading treatment of the people who live here and depend on this system," subway rider Caitlin Fuchs-Rosner said.
Quintana only relied on the system for about a week, but for his family, the worsening transit crime is something that's changed their lives forever.
The family says they hope to raise funds to be able to transport Quintana's body to Mexico for burial.