JOHNSON CITY, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – Yesterday, March 5th, a woman was struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver at the Oakdale Commons (formerly the Oakdale Mall) in Johnson City.
At around 4:20 p.m., Johnson City Police were called to the commons to check on a man who was believed to be intoxicated.
The man allegedly entered at least two separate vehicles in the parking lot.
Police attempted to make contact with the man, later identified as 20-year-old Rajee Almashni of Binghamton.
An officer approched Almashni while he was sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle, but Almashni fled in the vehicle at a high rate of speed.
Almashni then struck a pedestrian who was exiting a store.
The pedestrian was 72-year-old Elizabeth Atkinson of Johnson City.
The initial officer did not see the incident as he was returning to his vehicle to pursue Almashni.
Additional officers, the Johnson City Fire Department, and Union Ambulance responded to the commons to care for Atkinson, while other officers pursued Almashni.
Atkinson was transported to Wilson Hospital where she later died from her injuries.
Almashni fled onto Reynolds Road and onto State Route 201 South. He was pursued onto Floral Avenue and then Baldwin Street where his vehicle became disabled and he fled on foot.
Officers located him a short distance away and he was taken into custody.
He was observed to be intoxicated and submitted to field sobriety tests, resulting in him being charged with DWI.
It was determined that Almashni also stole property inside the Oakdale Commons before he was approached by the initial responding officer.
Almashni has been charged with the following:
- Murder in the 2nd Degree
- Vehicular Manslaughter in the 2nd Degree
- Leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident
- Unlawful fleeing in the 1st Degree
- Reckless endangerment in the 1st Degree
- Driving While Intoxicated
- Grand Larceny in the 4th Degree
He is currently being held at Broome County central arraigment.
