Father of two suffered ‘massive head trauma’ after U-Haul rampage

February 15, 2023

One of the surviving victims struck by an unhinged U-Haul driver in Brooklyn was identified Tuesday as a loving father of two who’s been placed in a medically induced coma.

Mohammed Zakaria Salah Rakchi, 36, had just dropped his 7-year-old daughter off at school and was running errands for his family when he was mowed down in Bay Ridge by accused driver Weng Sor shortly before 10:20 a.m. Monday, his wife, Nadjet Tchenar, told reporters at a press conference.

Rakchi, a delivery bike driver, suffered “massive head trauma” and was placed in a medically induced coma after he was taken to a nearby hospital, Tchenar said.

The father has a subdural hematoma, rib fractures and leg fractures and is in critical condition, the distraught family said.

“I don’t have words to describe my feelings now,” Tchenar said.

“My husband is a really good person, a good father, a lovely husband. I’m so sorry for what’s happened to him; I don’t know what to say about that.”

Tchenar — who shares a 3-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter with Rakchi — said she last spoke to her husband shortly before he was victimized in the rampage that injured seven others and left one dead.

Mohammed Zakaria Salah Rakchi in the hospital. — Mohammed Zakaria Salah Rakchi suffered “massive head trauma” and is in a medically induced coma.

Mohammed Zakaria Salah Rakchi, his wife Nadjet Tchenar — Nadjet Tchenar said her husband is in critical condition.

Mohammed Zakaria Salah Rakchi, his wife Nadjet Tchenar and their family — Rakchi had dropped off his 7-year-old daughter at school shortly before he was struck.

Nadjet Tchenar talks to the press at the Cochran. — Tchenar said Rakchi is “a really good person, a good father, a lovely husband.”

The grieving mother has retained two lawyers who plan to conduct their own independent investigation into the incident — including the high-speed police chase that occurred before the suspect was finally captured in Red Hook.

“One of the things that we’re going to be looking at in terms of how this tragedy occurred is the conduct of the NYPD, and we’re going to be looking at vehicle pursuit policies to see whether or not what they did was in accordance with their actual policies,” attorney Derek Sells said.

Sells noted that a police cruiser hopped the curb and chased Sor during the pursuit, a dangerous move that was caught on surveillance video.

Weng Sor mugshot. — Weng Sor has been charged with one count of murder and seven counts of attempted murder.

“[O]ne must wonder whether or not this was a triggering event for this driver and what might have led him to do the things that he did,” Sells said.

Sor — who has a lengthy rap sheet in Nevada and a history of mental illness — “was suffering a mental health crisis” when he mowed down several pedestrians, e-bike riders and a cop during his violent spree that lasted more than one hour, police said Tuesday.

Though most are expected to recover, One victim, 44-year-old Yijie Ye — a father of three who took a job as an Uber Eats driver to help feed his kids — died after suffering a fatal head injury.