Man charged with murder in fatal board beating in Queens, police say

CORONA, Queens (PIX11) --- A man is accused of fatally beating a 23-year-old Queens man with a wooden board in Corona a few weeks ago, authorities said.

Michael Santander, 20, was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder, manslaughter, gang assault, and criminal possession of a weapon in connection to the Nov. 13 incident, police said.

Santander was allegedly one of the men in a group that assaulted Esvin Vasquez outside a BP gas station at 43-15 Junction Blvd. at around 2:09 a.m., police said. Vasquez had gotten into a fight with the group before he was struck in the head with the wooden board, police said.

The victim was taken to the hospital, where he died.

The group fled the scene and were last seen heading southbound on Junction Boulevard, police said. It remained unclear what prompted the argument.

Santander, a Queens resident, had not been arraigned as of Wednesday morning, according to online court records.

No additional arrests were made.