APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2013 3 Bay Ridge resident arrested for subway robbery BY DENISE ROMANO dromano@homereporter.com The individual arrested in connection with an assault depicted in a Police Department-issued video that went viral last week is a native Ridgeite, this paper has learned. Aidan Folan, who just turned 21 last month, was arrested on April 3 for reportedly robbing a woman inside the 18th Avenue F train station. A surveillance video shows someone wearing a fraternity sweatshirt with the nickname “Stugotz,” which sources say is Folan’s frat name, violently robbing a woman. He was released on $50,000 bail on April 4. Folan was present for his appearance in New York State Supreme Court on Tuesday, April 9 with his parents, lawyer and two male relatives, wearing a black suit and a purple tie. Judge Alexander Jeong adjourned the case until October 25. Folan was reserved and respectful of court rules, addressing the judge as, “Sir, yes, sir.” A representative from the Kings County District Attorney’s office told this paper that cases such as this are normally brought before a grand jury for an indictment. He said that October 25 is the next court appointed date, but Folan may have to appear before a grand jury before then. Folan’s lawyer, Spencer Leeds, refused to speak with this paper on Folan’s behalf and said the family was unavailable for comment. Folan’s former classmates at Xaverian High School find it hard to believe that he would commit such a heinous act. According to one source, Folan was active in the Xaverian student body, starring in two school plays and singing in the chorus. He graduated in 2011. “He had a really sweet nature,” said the former classmate. “He was always kind to everyone, especially me, and always went out of his way to cheer me up if I was having a bad day.” Another person who was close to Folan agreed. “I love that kid. I only knew him in a positive, giving and caring light,” said the source, adding that he took time out to guide her son when he was choosing a high school. “He explained why Xaverian was such a good school. He even came to a couple of his baseball games to watch him play,” the source said. But sources said that Folan started having problems in school and was having trouble with classwork once he began at St. Francis College, dropping out – though, according to his Facebook page, with the intention of returning – during the first semester. “He joined a frat during that semester and his nickname was Stugotz — he wore that hoodie every moment of his life; he was very proud of being in that fraternity,” said his former classmate. “In fact, last I saw him, last year around this time, he told me that he was considering joining the Army, because he considered training for the Army to be like ‘extreme pledging.’” Sources also say the situation is even more surprising because “he wasn’t like that” even when he was being bullied. “There were several instances in which a person…would berate him and insult him in front of everyone, and he was always respectful. He never spoke back to a teacher, never raised his voice to anyone, at least that I saw, and from what I understand, he never bullied or beat anyone up in school,” said the classmate. “That is just another reason why I’m so surprised he’d ever hurt anyone. “From what I’ve heard in the last day or two,” the source added, “he claims it wasn’t him in the video.” Folan’s colleague agreed. “I can’t believe it was him,” she said. “He would never do something like that.” BY ANNA SPIVAK editorial@homereporter.com In a rally outside State Senator Marty Golden’s office on the afternoon of April 5, concerned citizens and residents of Bay Ridge turned out to protest Golden’s opposition to a bill that would have funded the implementation of citywide speed cameras. Since two fatal incidents involving speeding and pedestrians have already occurred this year in Bay Ridge, troubled citizens and members of B.R.A.K.E.S, Bay Ridge Advocates For Keeping Everyone Safe, decided to take a stand. With signs reading: “Senator Golden, stop the roadkill” and a strong-willed, synchronized chant of “Hey hey, ho ho, cameras are the way to go!” the crowd was high in energy and determined to make a change. “We are all just concerned residents,” said attendee and former State Senate candidate, Andrew Gounardes, who ran against Golden last year. “Senator Golden hasn’t given us any good reason why we shouldn’t have speed cameras.” “We need to keep our community, especially children and seniors, safe,” added Ridgeite Victor Guarino. The group isn’t alone in its support of speed cameras. The City Council, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly, Transportation Alternatives and the Tri-State Transportation Campaign all back the legislation, but the bill was never voted on in Albany, with Golden and another Brooklyn State Senator, Simcha Felder saying they would not vote for it. The Senate’s inaction on it kept the cameras from being included in the Assembly budget, despite support for them from Speaker Sheldon Silver. In response to the rally, Golden released a statement. “Like the parents here today, I share with them the concern for the safety of our children,” he said. “Other locations across the United States have found speed camera technology unreliable. If we can prove that the technology is sound, and document unequivocally that it will reduce speeding and fatalities, that would provide reason to consider the possibility of speed camera legislation.” What does Golden recommend? Golden said he is in favor of instituting school safety zones and the addition of various speed controlling devices such as traffic lights, speed humps and stop signs. He also said he would like to see a decrease in the permitted speed in the vicinity of schools from 30 to 20 mph, and noted, “In the coming days I will be introducing legislation to create these speed zones throughout New York City school zones to reduce speeding near our educational institutions. It is clear, however, that the most effective way to reduce speeding and speeding-related fatalities is increased police and prosecution of reckless driving.” The stalled state legislation called for 20 to 40 stationary or mobile speed cameras to be installed citywide. The cameras would work much like the red-light cameras already in place; they would not photograph the driver or share the license plate number of the car. Default penalties for speeding would be set at $25 with a maximum penalty of $50 for speeding between 10 and 30 miles above the speed limit and $100 for speeding over 30 miles above the speed limit. —Additional reporting contributed by Denise Romano Photo from Xaverian High School’s yearbook In an ironic twist, Aidan Folan is arrested by a classmate during a school play. Rally for safer streets says bring on the cameras Protesters outside the office of State Senator Marty Golden make their point.
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