A Queens man was charged yesterday with deliberately causing a car crash on the Whitestone Expressway that led to the deaths of his ex-girlfriend and another woman.

Neng Piao Zhang, 43, of Flushing, was charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the deaths of Xin-Zi Zhang, 37, and Chun-Zi Zin, 42. Mr. Zhang, who was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court yesterday, is not related to the women, though police said he is the former boyfriend of one of them.

Mr. Zhang drove his 2000 Toyota north on the Whitestone Expressway through College Point at 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, according to police and the Queens district attorney. He was following another 2000 Toyota in which the women were riding as passengers. The driver of that car was not identified.

Mr. Zhang used hand signals to attempt to get the other driver to pull into the left lane. When he failed to get the response he wanted, Mr. Zhang cut in front of the Toyota and slowed down, forcing the car to rear-end his vehicle. The collision was a fender-bender, and both Toyotas came to a stop in the left-hand lane. The two drivers got out of their cars and started arguing on the expressway, while the women remained in their car, one seated in the front and the other in the back.

During the argument, a 2004 Mercedes crashed into both Toyotas, killing the women. One of the victims died at the scene and the other was taken to New York Hospital Queens, where she was pronounced dead less than two hours later.

Mr. Zhang and the other driver, as well as the driver of the Mercedes and a passenger, sustained minor injuries and were treated at North Shore Hospital. Mr. Zhang was arrested after he arrived at the hospital.

Mr. Zhang, who has no prior criminal record, could face up to 15 years if convicted. Bail was set at $200,000; his next scheduled appearance at Queens Criminal Court is January 18.

A legal aid attorney who represented Mr. Zhang at his arraignment, Nathaniel Welks, did not return a phone message seeking comment.