A disagreement over a $10 parking spot at a gas station in Brooklyn, New York, culminated in the death of a 61-year-old man. The man, later identified as Carlyle Thomas, was punched by a tow truck driver and succumbed to his injuries. Reports confirm the unfortunate incident took place around 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at a Shell station located on Clarkson Avenue in the Brownsville area of Brooklyn.

Thomas, known to park occasionally at the gas station, was alerted that his vehicle was in danger of being towed after he reportedly failed to pay the parking fee promptly. An employee at the station had called for a tow truck, which led Thomas to confront the driver, according to his step-daughter Andrele Peters.

In the ensuing argument with the tow truck driver, Thomas was punched so hard that he fell and lost his life, even before he could be rushed to a nearby hospital. He was later pronounced dead at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center. The 30-year-old tow truck driver, Kevon Johnson, was arrested on the scene and charged with causing physical injury recklessly.

The incident left the community, including Thomas’s nephew, Dominic Graham, and local friends and neighbors, in shock. They remembered Thomas as a respected member of the community with deep ties from the gas station to 93rd Street. Graham reflected on his uncle’s regular assistance and camaraderie with the station’s staff, expressing surprise at their perceived betrayal.

Thomas’s stepdaughters revealed that the gas station typically charged locals $10 for overnight parking. Thomas, due to his longstanding rapport with the station, often paid his parking fees after retrieving his vehicle. Alexis Peters, one of the stepdaughters, emphasized Thomas’s contribution to the community and questioned the necessity of such a deadly outcome over a minor disagreement.

Before his sudden death, Thomas had discussed life’s enjoyment and the importance of not worrying about minor problems with his friend and neighbor, Errol Pottinger. Pottinger stated that the gas station’s management, with whom Thomas had a good relationship, did not initiate the towing call.

A former horse jockey who worked at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, Thomas leaves behind a son, a daughter, and step-children.