A 23-year-old man was critically injured when he stumbled into traffic after six men assaulted him in Queens on Saturday, cops said.

The victim approached the men to ask them for a cigarette about 4:15 a.m. They ignored him, but he persisted, prompting them to attack him, police said.

The victim stumbled onto Liberty Avenue in Richmond Hill, where he was struck by a black Toyota.

He was in critical condition at Jamaica Hospital.

The driver, Emir Zulfiqar, 23, left the scene, but returned and was arrested. The attackers are being sought.