12 THE QUEENS COURIER • FEBRUARY 6, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com s police beat COMPILED BY TONIA N. CIMINO & CRISTABELLE TUMOLA Arrest in hit-and-run that left 5 injured Man owes $335G in back taxes Cement & Brick Work Suspect sought in string of armed livery cab robberies Old World Craftsmanship Cement & Brick Work CALL ARTIE Basement Water Proofing Specialist Serving Queens for 35 Years Serving Queens for 35 Years For more information contact Artie DiBiase Mason Contractor 718.767.0072 Licensed #808097 and Insured Licensed #808097 and Insured Old World Craftsmanship CALL ARTIE Basement Water Proofing Specialist Pavers and Exposed Aggregate Concrete For more information contact Artie DiBiase Mason Contractor 718.767.0072 FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL PET DENTAL MONTH Visit North Shore Animal League America’s Pet Health Center Soon! Routine dental care is one of the most important aspects of your pet’s health. Home of the Mutt-i-gree® During the month of February Call for an appointment – 516.883.2000. Open to the Public Daily 10am–9pm. Pet Health Center: 16 Lewyt St. – Port Washington, NY Like us on Cats too! FREE DENTAL SCREENING EVERY DAY IN FEBRUARY (btwn 10am–6pm) BY APPOINTMENT ONLY – CALL TODAY! RECEIVE 10% OFF Dental services performed (with this ad) QCOURIER FEB 2014 Cops are looking for a man wanted in connection to a series of Queens robberies, targeting livery cab drivers, police said. The suspect struck four times, once in October, and three times in January, the NYPD said. During the fi rst incident, on October 12, near 27-44 Ericsson Street in East Elmhurst, the suspect robbed a 49-year-old driver at gunpoint, while a second suspect took the victim’s property, according to police. The suspect robbed another driver on January 8 near 17-16 Stephen Street in Ridgewood. When he asked him to open the trunk, a second suspect displayed a gun and demanded his property, then struck the driver in the face, leaving him with minor injuries, cops said. The victim did not comply, and the suspects fl ed without taking anything. On January 21 the suspect robbed a driver at gunpoint near 27-40 Ericsson Street. Three days later, he tried to rob a driver around the same location, but was unsuccessful, the NYPD said Police have released surveillance video of the suspect from the January 21 robbery, after he allegedly used the victim’s credit cards. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS. 108TH PRECINCT LIC, Sunnyside and Woodside Cops looking for suspect who punched 65-year-old during Woodside attempted burglary A woman coming home to her Woodside apartment was attacked by a man who punched her in the head and tried to burglarize her, police said. The suspect approached the 65-year-old victim on January 30 as she was entering her home near 50th Street and 43rd Avenue, according to the NYPD. Once inside her apartment, the suspect threw her to the ground, punching her in her head. The suspect fl ed on foot without taking any property, police said. The victim sustained bruising and swelling to her lip. Police describe the suspect as a white man with light colored hair, approximately 50 to 60 years old and 170 to 190 pounds. He was last seen wearing a baseball cap, dark clothing, and white sneakers. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS. 110TH PRECINCT Corona & Elmhurst Woman fatally struck by MTA bus in Jackson Heights A woman was struck and killed by an MTA bus in Jackson Heights Monday evening, February 3. The victim was struck by the city bus at about 5:55 p.m. at the intersection of Broadway and 74th Street, said police. She was pronounced dead on arrival at the scene and her identity has not yet been released. The NYPD is investigating the accident. BY MELISSA CHAN mchan@queenscourier.com A Whitestone man has confessed to duping the state out of $335,000 in taxes, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said. Joseph Caraccia, 65, who owns two Great Neck auto body repair shops, pleaded guilty last week to larceny charges for collecting but failing to remit taxes between 2009 and 2012, the district attorney’s offi ce said. He awaits sentencing on May 22. Rice said Caraccia will be forced to pay off $335,000 in restitution to the state’s Department of Taxation and Finance (NYSDTF). “When a company or an individual fails to remit taxes, it’s a crime against all New Yorkers,” Rice said. The two shops are located at 275 East Shore Road and 300 East Shore Road. An unknown person tipped off the district attorney’s offi ce, Rice said. The NYSDTF’s Nassau Criminal Investigations Division then found the tax discrepancies. “By pocketing this money, Mr. Caraccia took funding away from services that any resident of Long Island or beyond could rely upon,” Rice said. Joseph Caraccia confessed to duping the state out of $335,000 in taxes. Photo courtesy of the Nassau County District Attorney’s offi ce BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO aaltamirano@queenscourier.com A 32-year-old Jackson Heights man was arrested in connection to a hit-and-run in Sunnyside that left fi ve people in the hospital. The NYPD arrested Luis Andrade on Sunday, February 2 for allegedly striking four pedestrians the previous night. Andrade’s white Mazda sedan allegedly struck four pedestrians at about 7:40 p.m. Saturday, February 1 as they waited at a bus stop on Northern Boulevard and 48th Street, police said. The driver then fl ed the scene and ditched the car a few blocks away. The victims, who ranged from a seven-year-old girl to a 56-year-old man, were taken to Elmhurst Hospital and all were in non-critical condition. A fi fth person, who was at the scene of the time of the accident but was not struck, was also taken to the hospital with high blood pressure, according to police. “Saturday’s hit-and-run crash at 48th Street and Northern Boulevard in Woodside was a serious crime,” said Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer. “The driver could have killed with that vehicle and this person must be prosecuted.” Andrade is facing two charges of leaving the scene of an accident with serious injury. “Sadly, this is yet another example of reckless driving in our city that has already claimed too many lives and injured countless individuals. Such behavior cannot and will not be tolerated,” said Van Bramer. “I am committed to Mayor de Blasio’s Vision Zero plan and will continue working with the mayor, the Department of Transportation and the NYPD to ensure this initiative becomes a reality.”
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