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Neighbors of the Queens bystander killed by a hit-run driver allegedly aiming for a female foe claimed Tuesday that the suspect finally did something right — by turning herself in.

Suspect Kiani Phoenix, 26, surrendered to cops Monday and was charged with murder, attempted murder, assault, and reckless endangerment over the horrific Saturday morning crime in Far Rockway that left Milton Storch, 59, dead, authorities said.

Phoenix was allegedly targeting another woman when she mounted the sidewalk in a Honda sedan and instead hit Storch, who was sitting on a walker outside the Rohan deli on Beach 20th Street near New Haven Avenue, police said.

The driver sped off – leaving the mortally wounded man on the sidewalk. 


  Phoenix was allegedly targeting another woman when she mounted the sidewalk in a Honda sedan.
 Phoenix was allegedly targeting another woman when she mounted the sidewalk in a Honda sedan.

  Footage shows Phoenix allegedly driving up on the sidewalk and hitting Storch — who was sitting on a walker outside Rohan deli on Beach 20th Street.
 Footage shows Phoenix allegedly driving up on the sidewalk and hitting Storch — who was sitting on a walker outside Rohan deli on Beach 20th Street.

Iris Pearl, who used to live in an assisted-living facility with Storch, said, “I was pissed off when they didn’t get her.

“I was monitoring the news to see when they catch her,” she said of the driver. 

“No one deserves to die like that,” Pearl said of the victim. “After what happened I don’t want to go to that corner anymore because it reminds me of Milton.”

Another neighbor who gave his first name, Vinny, said he was “pissed off” when the suspect hadn’t been caught for two days.

“[Surrendering was] the right thing for her to do,” he said.

A witness previously told The Post that moments before getting behind the wheel, the hit-run driver had gotten into a physical fight with another woman — possibly over a romantic interest.


  Milton Storch, 59, was killed when Kiani Phoenix, 26, drove up onto the sidewalk. milton.storch.9/Facebook Milton Storch, 59, was killed when Kiani Phoenix, 26, drove up onto the sidewalk. milton.storch.9/Facebook

“I don’t know why all this violence [is happening] in the neighborhood,” said a woman who was waiting for a bus near the scene of the deadly crash Tuesday. “Even if the girl was sleeping with your boyfriend, who gives a s–t? Why come up on the sidewalk? God will be her judge.”

The woman, who said she used to talk to the victim when she grabbed the bus at that stop, said it was “just a matter of time” before the suspect was caught. 

A worker at Rohan Deli, Lillian Lazaro, 38, said she feels “safer” that the suspect is no longer out on the streets. 

“If she is going to use her car as a weapon, she should not be driving,” Lazaro said. “It’s better for the customers that she doesn’t come back here.”

But another deli worker, Hassan Abdul, said the woman’s arrest doesn’t change what happened. 

“An innocent guy is dead,” Abdul said. “He did nothing wrong. It’s a big thing. I don’t care about her turning herself in. It doesn’t make a difference. Can they give life back to the guy? The damage is already done. If they can give the guy back his life, then I am happy.”


  Phoenix was escorted from the 101st Precinct into an ambulance Tuesday morning. Brigitte Stelzer for NY Post Phoenix was escorted from the 101st Precinct into an ambulance Tuesday morning. Brigitte Stelzer for NY Post

Phoenix wore an Aaliyah T-shirt and had her red hair was pulled back into two buns while looking down as she was walked out of the 101st Precinct station house and into an awaiting ambulance Tuesday morning. 

A woman’s screams could be heard from inside the precinct a short time before the ambulance arrived. 

Phoenix was taken to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital for an eight-hour watch, police sources said. 

As Phoenix was taken into the ambulance, Lorraine Bishop, 84, strolled by using a walker. 

When she heard who was going into the ambulance, she stopped. 

“I sit in a walker in front of my building,” Bishop said. “I’ve been thinking about it. It could have been me. I go to that area all the time. Sometimes I use that bus stop.

“I’m upset. Everybody is talking about everything. That’s all they are talking about. Nobody can stop talking about it.”

Phoenix has two prior arrests, both domestic-related, cops said. 

She was arrested on an assault charge in August 2019 and on a criminal contempt charge the next month, authorities said.

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