Police have arrested a hit-and-run suspect who allegedly ran over a pregnant mother who was on her way home from a Beyoncé concert. The cops revealed the arrest of 28-year-old Chaquasia Pigford on Wednesday, per the New York Post.
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Pregnant Mother Victim Of Hit-And-Run On Way Home From Beyonce Concert
On May 24, the suspect allegedly rammed into 32-year-old Tiffany Cifuni in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The authorities have now charged Pigford with second-degree murder, manslaughter, reckless driving, driving without a license, and fleeing the scene of a deadly accident.
While Pigford was driving a Chevy Trax during the accident, Cifuni was in a Toyota 4Runner. PIX11 reported that Pigford allegedly slammed her truck from behind before she stepped out of the vehicle. That’s when Pigford allegedly hit the gas and struck the pregnant woman, dragging her along the street.
According to Assistant District Attorney Tara Kelly, Cifuni had followed Pigford for about two blocks after the rear-ending. The pregnant woman got out of her car at one point and walked up to Pigford’s vehicle. Still, she “refused to roll down her window or speak with Tiffany,” said Kelly.
“At that point, the defendant first lightly pressed the gas, causing the vehicle to briefly touch Mrs. Cifuni,” recalled Kelly. “Tiffany jumped backwards and placed her hands on the hood.”
Tiffany then yelled at a passerby on the street, asking them to take a photo of Pigford’s license plate. “At that moment, the defendant floored the gas, instantly striking Tiffany, causing her body to become lodged beneath the vehicle.”
First responders rushed her to the hospital, but unfortunately, they could not save her. Police said that Pigford fled by driving onto Lafayette Avenue before hitting a parked Volkswagen SUV.
That wasn’t the end of it, though. Pigford continued driving against traffic on that street before crashing into a Jeep Grand Cherokee. That’s when she jumped out of her vehicle and ran off.
The Victim’s Family Remembering Tiffany
Judge Dena E. Douglas ordered Pigford to be held without bail during Wednesday’s arraignment. Around 10 relatives of the victim attended this same court hearing, her husband James Cifuni grieving the worst of it.
“She’s a coward,” said Cifuni during court proceedings with tears in his eyes. “She’s a monster.”
Nick Cifuni, Tiffany’s father-in-law, was driven to get justice. “We have been reeling from the day [Tiffany] was killed,” said Nick. “We will not rest until it’s over and we get justice for Tiffany. I don’t want to say anything to disrupt the evidence of the case.”
According to WABC, Tiffany was on her way home from a Beyoncé concert and was 12 weeks pregnant. Her father-in-law recalled how excited he and the family were at the news.
“They had just hit us with that news two weeks ago and she was so proud of the fact that she surprised me and buckled my knees with the news, you know,” said Nick. Nick also called Tiffany the “rockstar” of the family.
Barbara Cifuni, the victim’s mother-in-law, also had kind words to say about Tiffany. “She was the most loving, caring, patient, animal lover, and beautiful person,” said Barbara.