Man hails cab on Gowanus while date burns to death in car fire

BROOKLYN (WABC) -- A woman's body was found in a car after a fiery crash on the Gowanus Expressway in Brooklyn Friday morning, and authorities say the driver -- believed to be a man she was dating -- hailed a cab in the middle of the highway while she burned to death.



The car was found facing eastbound in the westbound lanes between Hamilton Avenue and Prospect Expressway just after 4 a.m.

The 2007 Infiniti G35 was fully on fire.

When firefighters put out the flames, they found a badly burned woman in the passenger seat. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

She was later identified as 25-year-old Harleen Grewal, of Astoria.



The driver, 23-year-old Saeed Ahmed, was later located at Maimonides Medical Center, where he was being treated for burns to his neck, arms and legs.

Police confirm he hailed a cab on the Gowanus Expressway while leaving Grewal in the burning vehicle, and Eyewitness News obtained exclusive video of a man near the burning wreckage approaching a cab and asking "Can I get a ride?"

Ahmed is now charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene of an accident, aggravated unlicensed operator and speeding.

Grewal's family members tell Eyewitness News they are tremendously distraught and know very little about what has happened to their daughter.