Carlos Guaman: Slain Brooklyn man's roommate urged him to quit drinking before his fatal fight with car service driver

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: Carlos Guaman, 66, and his cousin, Gilberto Guiracocha, 52, were apparently severely assaulted by a hired driver, Sergio Zamora Mendoza, 33, on W Ninth St near Ave T in Gravesend around 4.30 am on Thursday, December 7. 

While Guaman succumbed to the injuries, Guiracocha remains in critical condition, as per NY Daily News. 

In the aftermath of Guaman's death, his roommate, Raffaele Lervasi, recounted their conversation and shared his response when he earnestly implored the former to quit drinking. 

He also reflected on Guaman's physical well-being and the victim's kind-hearted nature.

Raffaele Lervasi remembers Carlos Guaman as a 'big strong man'

Lervasi, 87, who has resided with Guaman in Dyker Heights for the past two years, remembered persistently urging the victim to quit alcohol, expressing concern for his well-being.

Despite occasional drinking, Guaman was described by Lervasi as someone who didn't trouble anyone.

Lervasi noted, "He’d come home and go to bed, go to work every day. I always tell him, I say, ‘Carlos don’t drink! Somebody's gonna catch you and he’s gonna hurt you. He was a big strong man. He says, ‘Nobody’s gonna touch me.’ He was built like a bulldog." 

He also added that Guaman, a skilled tile worker, was a dedicated professional by his roommate, who expressed shock over the tragedy. An apprentice of him, Cristy Rizo, also spoke highly of him, stating he was an excellent teacher in the art of ceramic construction.

The roommate, still processing the loss, voiced his condemnation for Mendoza, stating that he should be held accountable for beating them and fleeing the scene.

Guaman is also remembered as a devoted family man who supported his wife and three adult children in Ecuador.

The 66-year-old was reported missing by his roommate after he lost contact with him for three days and ultimately learned of the tragic incident through the news.

Sergio Zamora Mendoza argues self-defense in the death of Carlos Guaman

Following the death of Brooklyn resident Guaman, Mendoza, charged with manslaughter, was ordered to be held on a $750,000 bond during his arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court on Saturday.

The defense argued that the killing was an act of self-defense, claiming that Guaman and his cousin, after leaving a party where they had been drinking, requested Mendoza to drive them between bars. 

Subsequently, the trio apparently stopped at a gas station, where they consumed alcohol for about 45 minutes before continuing their journey, as revealed during Mendoza's arraignment by Assistant District Attorney Jordan Rossman.

The defense lawyer claimed that the cousins noticed that the driver had quite a bit of cash on him and suggested he should give them the money. Then, Guiracocha allegedly pushed and shoulder-checked the driver before Guaman swung at him.

Guiracocha, the cousin, relayed to a friend that the altercation began over an overcharge. They argued with the driver, threatening to call the police.

While the friend acknowledged the wrongfulness of the driver's actions, he also empathized with Mendoza, stating that taxi drivers often feel threatened in such situations.