Man dies after dispute with tow truck driver at Brooklyn gas station, NYPD says
NEW YORK -- Police have identified a man who died Saturday night after a fight with a tow truck driver at a Brooklyn gas station.
His devastated family spoke with CBS New York on Sunday.
"It's just like a horror story at the end," Andrele Peters said.
Peters is still trying to make sense of what happened to her stepdad, 61-year-old Carlyle Thomas, better known in his East Flatbush neighborhood as "Quench." His family says he parked the van he uses for work to drive children to school at his usual spot on Saturday night.
"He parked his car at the gas station. He had a couple drinks," Peters said. "Him getting that call to come back downstairs is what ended his life."
Thomas' stepdaughters shared that for $10, the Shell employees let neighbors park there. But on Saturday night, an employee says Thomas refused to pay when asked and walked home to his nearby apartment building. The employee says about two hours later, a tow truck was called and so was Thomas.
"One of the staff members called him personally on the phone and said, 'Your car is being towed right now. It's already on the tow truck,'" Alexis Peters said.
The Shell employee said an upset Thomas returned and disputed the tow, getting into a heated argument with the tow truck driver. Police said Thomas was punched in the face, and knocked onto the pavement. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died. Police said the 30-year-old tow truck driver was taken into custody.
"I'm just happy that guy was caught and I just hope that time is served because you just took someone's life," Andrele Peters said.
The gas station doesn't have any visible signage about Forrester Towing or any tow company. CBS New York called Forrester Towing and received a "no comment" response.
Thomas' stepdaughters said they feel the employees there should be held accountable.
"He could've made a different phone call, maybe just to call him and notify him to just move the car and I'm sure he would've came and just moved the car," Andrele Peters said.
Loved ones gathered at a vigil for Thomas on Sunday night. He was known for his cooking and sense of humor.
"Very friendly, fun, was the life of everything, respected, talk to anyone," one person said.
Police charged the tow truck driver, 30-year-old Kevon Johnson, with one count of recklessly causing physical injury.
