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Good Samaritan livery cab driver struck, killed

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

(Prospect Park South- WABC, August 22, 2007) (WABC) -- A livery driver, who stepped out of his cab to help another, paid for the good deed with his life.

He was struck by another car in Brooklyn early this morning.That man is now accused of drunk driving.

Police at the 66th Precinct in Brooklyn have arrested and charged the suspect, 22-year-old Alexis Bushuyev with DWI. This morning he told Eyewitness News, as he was being walked out the precinct, handcuffed that, "he didn't know what happened."

Police say 50-year-old Rafael Rafailov was hit after getting out of his lincoln town car on the exit of the southbound expressway, near the intersection of Church Avenue and Ocean Parkway, just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Eyewitness News is told Rafailov was getting out of the driver's side of his vehicle, to help another livery car driver whose vehicle was disabled, when he was struck by the Bushuyev's 2007 Toyota Camry.

That vehicle was then hit by another car, a 2007 Honda Odyssey.

Rafailov was pronounced dead at the scene, his body hanging out the driver's side of the livery car.

Bushuyev, the driver of the other vehicle, the Toyota Camry, was taken into custody. Police believe he was under the influence, Driving while intoxicated charges are pending.

The surviving drivers of the other vehicles were also taken to area hospitals with various injuries.

Eyewitness News is told the deceased victim, Rafailov works for Concord Limousine but they refused to comment.

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