Queens parking wars erupt in street fight caught on video: 'It would be these 2'
A violent fight over a parking spot in Ridgewood, Queens, was caught on video, following weeks of reported tension over a household allegedly using trash bins and cones to reserve public street parking.
According to the NYPD, two women believed to be a mother and daughter were arrested and charged in connection with the fight.
The video shows them attacking a 21-year-old woman during the confrontation.
NEW YORK - An ongoing clash over a parking spot in New York City exploded into violence on Monday, and according to social media users, it was only a matter of time.
Police say Andreea Dumitru, 45, and Sabrina Starman, 21, believed to be mother and daughter, attacked a 21-year-old woman over a parking spot outside their home on Putnam Avenue in Ridgewood, Queens.
According to police, the two punched the woman multiple times in the face and body, causing substantial pain.
Both Dumitru and Starman were arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
What they're saying
A Reddit post titled "the fight over the parking spot finally happened" sparked much of the online discussion. One user wrote, "The people who live on that block are a huge problem. This time, they snapped."
What we know
Video obtained by FOX 5 NY shows the moments before the brawl, where the 21-year-old victim is seen moving trash cans onto the sidewalk to park her car.
A man is heard shouting, "Stop touching my stuff," as he puts the garbage cans back on the curb.
The victim yells, "I just got home from work! I don't want to circle the block five times looking for a parking spot because this [expletives] was holding it with a garbage can."
Both Andreea Dumitru, 45, and Sabrina Starman, 21, respond aggressively, joining the scuffle.
Suddenly, punches are thrown and the younger attacker lunges forward at the unknown woman, landing multiple blows while Dumitru is seen kicking her as she falls to the ground, curling up defensively.
Amid the chaos, a bystander with a cane can be heard shouting as the man originally involved in the confrontation is seen throwing punches.
Both Andreea Dumitru, 45, and Sabrina Starman, 21, were taken into custody following the incident.
The woman was treated at the scene.
The backstory
Residents in the area say the people involved have allegedly been guarding public parking spaces with cones, trash cans and garbage bins for years, despite having no permits or driveways for the spots they claim.
A former resident on Reddit said the household shown in the video regularly placed trash cans in front of the building to hold a public parking spot while they were away, sometimes leaving them there for hours.
They added, "Sometimes those trash cans would sit there for three hours," until someone finally moved them.
A local community group on Instagram, @ridgewoodqueenz, shared the following statement with FOX 5 NY:
"For over a decade, residents on Putnam Ave have expressed frustration over one household using multiple garbage bins to block off a public parking space — something many see as selfish and unneighborly. Tensions appear to have escalated recently, resulting in an unfortunate altercation... Our platform aims to spotlight these local concerns and give voice to the community."
What's next
Social media users reacted with calls for action, with one commenter urging, "Arrest these morons."
Others were surprised by who was involved, posting "Omfg it would be these two."
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