Fatal end to 2-car clash on the Blvd.

Shawn Bender pointed his speeding Ford Crown Victoria like a loaded weapon at the Chrysler Concorde that weaved in front of him on Roosevelt Boulevard.

The Chrysler was packed with people: Bender's girlfriend, Jaleesa Hall; their 1-year-old daughter, Shareesa; Hall's sister, and two of her friends. But that didn't seem to faze Bender, according to police.

Enraged over an argument he just had with Hall early yesterday, Bender slammed on his gas pedal and rammed into the Chrysler four times, police said.

The terrifying chase ended in a heap of twisted metal on the Boulevard near Adams Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia at about 12:30 a.m.

Police said Charles Johnson, 17, the driver of the Chrysler, died when his car crashed into the closed entrance of a pedestrian tunnel.

Johnson's fiancee, Emerald Dustin, 24, was listed in critical condition at Albert Einstein Medical Center, police said. Relatives said Dustin had asked Johnson to drive up to the Northeast just to give her friends a lift.

Hall, 16, and her sister, Cassandra Hall, 17, were listed in critical condition at Temple University Hospital, and baby Shareesa was on life support at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children.

Homicide Capt. James Clark said Bender's condition, meanwhile, was listed as "critical but stable."

When he recovers, Bender, 19, faces charges that include murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault, Clark said. He might also face weapons charges because of a handgun that was found in his car.

A weapon also was found in Johnson's car, police said.

According to police records, bench warrants had been issued for Bender's arrest in March and May on drug charges.

He had several prior arrests on charges that included drug possession and stolen autos, court records show.

Clark characterized the fatal crash, which closed the highway for six hours, as a domestic incident, involving a child, "that went extremely bad."

Initial reports that the crash was simply a case of road rage proved wrong.

"This wasn't just two cars driving down the Boulevard and throwing the finger at each other," Homicide Lt. Mark Deegan said. "These people knew each other. The argument didn't start on the road."

The fact that Bender sideswiped a car that his baby daughter was riding in left even the veteran cops at a loss for words. "It makes no sense at all," Clark said.

Friends and relatives of Johnson, who was known in his West Philly neighborhood as "Charlie Mac," were left equally stunned by the incident.

Sheldon Johnson said his son was lying in bed in their home on Pine Street near 61st late Tuesday night when Charles' fiancee asked him to help out her friends in the Northeast.

"He could have said no, but he was raised to help people out," said Johnson, a longtime Democratic committeeman in the 3rd Ward.

"When he got up there, an argument must have developed, and he told all of the women to get in his car. He had nothing to do with this other guy or the argument."

Dionna Brown, a longtime friend, said she was "devastated" when she saw Charles Johnson's car on the morning news.

"This whole neighborhood is numb. He was a sweet, easygoing guy and always stayed out of trouble," Brown said.

"He caught a bad break. A lot of people are upset because the whole thing could have been prevented."

Charles Johnson was soon expected to graduate as an electrical-engineer technician from a local trade school, his father said.

Johnson, a construction worker, said he had looked forward to one day working with his son.

"He was going to do all of my electrical work," Johnson said. "But now he's gone." *