“We were shocked - we are shocked still every day, just devastated,” said Jessica Finale. “It honestly doesn’t feel real.”
Police said the incident happened on Nov. 24, but it was only classified as a homicide on Thursday.
“This was just completely, completely unexpected,” said Jessica Finale.
A police source told News 12 that surveillance video showed 73-year-old Anthony Finale driving onto Avenue T from East 58th Street, as 31-year-old Marvin Bonilla crossed the street.
Sources said the two men did not know each other and got into an argument. That’s when Anthony Finale extended his arm to push Bonilla away, then Bonilla allegedly punched the victim in the face, causing him to fall and hit his head on the sidewalk.
Bonilla took off, according to the source.
Police said Finale was found unconscious and unresponsive with trauma to his head.
He was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.
“All I can say is that my dad was [a] healthy, 73-year-old man,” said Jessica Finale. “He was full of life. He had a lot of life left to live.”
Bonilla is charged with manslaughter and assault.
His attorney, Matthew Dusenberry, told News 12 by phone that “the incident is a sad situation,” but called it “road rage” and claimed that “it started with the victim getting out of his car to confront a pedestrian.”
Bonilla is due back in court in April.