By Shannon Carlin and Wil Cruz
DNAinfo Staff
BROOKLYN — A churchgoing great-grandmother who was nearing retirement was struck and killed by an allegedly drunken hit-and-run driver in East New York, police and relatives said.
Margaret Myers, 69, was crossing Wortman Ave. near Barbey St. Wednesday about 6:30 p.m. when a 2000 Mazda slammed into her and dashed off, police said.
By the time paramedics arrived, Myers — who lived a block away on Barbey St. — was unconscious and unresponsive, police said. She was taken to Brookdale Hospital, where she died, they said.
Videsh Badal, 34, was behind the wheel, police said. He fled after the accident, but — thanks to a witness who tracked him down — was captured nearby a short time later, police said.
The Daily News reported that he was wearing a Domino's Pizza uniform when he was stopped.
"The only thing that guy did was rob a good grandmother from her family," said Anita Rhooms, Myers' daughter-in-law. "He robbed us of a love that can never be replaced."
Badal, of Brooklyn, was hit with a series of charges including driving while intoxicated, vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of a serious accident and resisting arrest, police said.
He was also charged with driving without a license and driving with a suspended license. Cops took him to the 78th Precinct 78th Precinct in Park Slope, the designated location for breath exams, an NYPD spokesman said.
His blood alcohol level registered above the legal driving limit of .08, the spokesman said. He did not provide the exact blood alcohol content.
Badal has no prior arrests in New York City.
Myers, who emigrated from Jamaica in 1985, had seven children, 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. A home attendant, Myers had worked with the elderly three days a week for more than 20 years, relatives said.
Ever spry, Myers, a born-again Christian who went to church every Sunday, could always be seen working on her garden. And whenever neighbors saw her, she was walking to her destination.
In fact, Myers was on her way to a Wester Union to wire money to one of her sons in Jamaica, relatives said.
"You could always go to her if you needed help," said Andrew Rhooms, 30, Myers' son.
Myers, whose birthday was in April, was planning to retire for her 70th birthday.
She "didn't even live to see her granddaughter from college," Anita Rhooms said.
Now, Myers' relatives were planning her funeral while trying to cope with grief and anger.
"It's unbelievable that this could happen," Andrew Rhooms said.
