Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced Thursday, April 30, that three men were charged with attempted aggravated assault upon a police or peace officer, attempted assault in the first-degree, criminal possession of stolen property, first-degree reckless endangerment, and other related charges for allegedly striking an NYPD officer while driving a stolen car.

 

“These defendants allegedly tried to evade capture for possessing a stolen car and allegedly drove that car directly into a New York City Police Officer, causing him to go over the front hood of the car and then landing on the pavement, Clark said during a press conference held at her Concourse section office, together with Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, prosecutors, and other NYPD officials, for a related announcement on April 30. “Fortunately, he was not seriously injured,” Clark added. ‘Anyone who brazenly assaults a police officer will be held accountable.”

 

The district attorney said that defendant Sanlli Rodriguez, 29, of East 178th Street, The Bronx, was indicted on attempted aggravated assault upon a police or peace officer, attempted assault in the first-degree, second-degree criminal possession of stolen property, three counts of second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle, two counts of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, three counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, third-degree criminal mischief, third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, second degree reckless endangerment, possession of burglar’s tools, third degree unauthorized use of a vehicle and two counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief.

She said defendants Eddison Abreu, 29, of Riverdale Avenue, The Bronx and Lunden Hunter, 37, of Patchen Avenue, Brooklyn were charged with second-degree criminal possession of stolen property, second-degree assault, first-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle, two counts of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, three counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, possession of burglar’s tools and third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle.

 

She said Hunter was arraigned on April 29 before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Giyang An and is due back in court on June and Rodriguez is in custody and will be arraigned at a later date. She said Abreu has not been apprehended.

 

According to the investigation, at around 6.40 a.m. on Oct. 25, members of the NYPD Auto Crime Unit located a stolen 2023 Lexus IS 500 that was allegedly being driven by Rodriguez inside a parking lot near the intersection of East Tremont Avenue and Boston Road in the West Farms section of The Bronx.

 

Prosecutors said officers attempted to block the vehicle from driving away using their police vehicles. They said the driver, allegedly ignoring repeated police commands to surrender, hit the gas and struck both police vehicles. They said Rodriguez allegedly continued driving directly into Police Officer Joseph Parisi causing him to go over the hood of the car and land on the pavement. They said Parisi suffered pain, bruising and swelling to his body.

They said the Lexus was later recovered, and 10 stolen catalytic converters were found inside.

 

At the same press conference, the district attorney and police commissioner announced that 16 people have been charged in a 971-count indictment in relation to 252 thefts of cars, tires, rims and catalytic converters.

 

Clark said the case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lawrence Rozenblum, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Jessica Lupo, deputy chief in the trial division, and under the overall supervision of James Brennan, deputy chief of the trial division and Terry Gottlieb, chief of the trial division.

 

Clark thanked Trial Preparation Assistant Jason Singer for his assistance in the case, as well as NYPD Lt. William Dooley, Sgt. Brandon Gembecki and Police Officers Benjamin Warren, Gabriel Espadas and Joseph Parisi of the auto crimes unit for their work on the investigation.

 

The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.