By The TimesLedger
REGO PARK — A Corona man was arrested early Wednesday morning after allegedly robbing two people and later pointing a gun at a police officer, who then fired shots but failed to hit him, police said.
Anthony Lawrence, 20, of 96-04 57th Ave., was taken into custody Wednesday morning and charged with first-degree robbery and criminal possession of a weapon, police said.
Lawrence and another man are accused of holding up two men at gunpoint in front of 99-12 65th Rd. at 12:05 a.m. Wednesday, police said. One of them allegedly fired a shot into the ground before they both fled with the victims’ wallets, police said.
Police officers confronted the men in front of 97-28 Lefrak Plaza, where Lawrence allegedly turned in the officers’ direction while pointing a firearm at them, police said. An officer discharged a round at Lawrence without hitting him, police said. The other suspect fled the scene.
The officer was taken to North Shore Hospital for trauma, where he was subsequently treated and released. A 9 mm handgun was recovered at the scene, police said.
The investigation was ongoing.
Off-duty police officer foils attempted car-jacking
WOODHAVEN — An off-duty police officer returning home from his Manhattan beat thwarted a car-jacking early Sunday morning.
Police said the suspect, Juan Pena, 17, of 90-18 104th St., Richmond Hill, stepped in front of a white 1995 Acura Integra on Woodhaven Boulevard near 86th Road about 2:35 a.m., then opened the driver’s side door and began pulling out the driver, an Ozone Park resident.
The man’s wife, sitting in the passenger’s seat, dialed 911 on her cell phone, police said. At the same time, Detective Warren Lockley, of Manhattan South Narcotics, who witnessed the incident from his car, exited his vehicle, identified himself as a police officer and subdued the suspect.
Officers from the 102nd Precint arrested Pena, and charged him with attempted robbery. No injuries were reported, they said.
Elderly Forest Hills man found with slashed wrists
FOREST HILLS — A 71-year-old man was found dead with slash wounds to the wrist at 5:20 p.m. inside an apartment on 62nd Drive Saturday, police said.
The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.
Woman hit by van crossing Grand Ave.
MASPETH — An 82-year-old woman was in critical condition after she was struck by a van on the corner of Grand Avenue and 61st Street March 6, police said.
The pedestrian was crossing the street when she was struck by a van which was making a left turn from 61st Street onto Grand Avenue, police said.
She was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center where she was in critical condition, police said.
The 34-year-old driver of the van was not ticketed or arrested at the time, police said.
Sex assault at Pulitzer school in Jackson Heights
JACKSON HEIGHTS — A 13-year-old girl was sexually abused by a boy the same age inside an IS 145 classroom at 33-34 80th St. Tuesday, police said.
The boy was arrested and charged with sexual abuse, police said. The victim refused medical attention.
Elmhurst robber runs before finishing bank job
ELMHURST — An attempted bank robbery went awry Saturday morning when a man passed a note to a teller at the HSBC at 82-57 Broadway but then fled in an unknown direction without any money, police said.
No arrests had been made. The investigation is ongoing.
LIE death caused by flying debris
MASPETH — A prominent Long Island doctor died March 6 when a piece of debris went through the windshield of his car and struck him at 6:15 a.m. as he was traveling westbound on the Long Island Expressway near Maurice Avenue, police said.
Dennis Tyras, 57, of 27 Hemlock Dr. in Kings Point, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
he was a heart specialist at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan.
Man shouting expletives disrupts church rehearsal
RICHMOND HILL — A man shouting expletives disrupted a rehearsal for Palm Sunday services at the Our Lady of Cenacle Church Tuesday afternoon, police said.
The man was attending a practice service at the church, located at 136-06 87th Ave., when he became “loud and boisterous,” a priest told police. When the priest asked the man to quiet down, he began cursing.
There were 30 eighth grade students present at the time, the priest told cops. About 10 minutes later, the man launched a final, expletive-laced tirade at the priest, before fleeing.
Police say girl burned at 95th Street house
JACKSON HEIGHTS — A 2-year-old girl was brought by her parents to Flushing Hospital suffering from third-degree burns on her feet, legs and buttocks at 9 a.m. Friday, police said.
Police called to the hospital by medical personnel began an investigation, determining that the incident occurred at 35-18 95th St., police said.
The girl was later taken to Staten Island University Hospital in serious condition for further medical treatment, police said.
The investigation continues.
Police seek clues in rape of Queens schoolgirl
BROOKLYN — A Queens high school student was brutally raped and sodomized while she was walking to the subway in Brooklyn last Thursday, police said.
The victim was approached by the rapist, who told her he had a gun, on her way to school around Fulton and Lincoln avenues in Brooklyn at 6:30 a.m., police said.
He took her first to the basement of an abandoned building and then to the seventh-floor roof landing of a nearby building, raping and sodomizing her at both locations, police said.
The rapist then choked her and threw her down a flight of stairs, enabling her to run for help in the sixth floor apartments, police said.
The victim was taken to Jamaica Hospital for medical treatment.
The rapist is described as a male Hispanic between 25 and 30 years old, with a slim build and a well-groomed beard and mustache. We was wearing a black-hooded leather jacket, blue jeans, T-shirt with the words “Puerto Rico” written on it and a pair of blue Timberland boots.
Possible bias in South Jamaica
SOUTH JAMAICA — An Asian man reported to police Saturday morning that he had received a letter in the mail containing anti-ethnic remarks, police said.
There were no reported injuries and no arrests have been made. It was being investigated as a possible bias incident, police said.
Baby found dead in Rockaways
SOMERVILLE — A 3-month-old baby who had been found unconscious at 5:20 p.m. Saturday inside a Bayfield Avenue residence was pronounced dead an hour later at Peninsula General Hospital, police said.
The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.
Far Rockaway man charged with attack of young girl
ROCKAWAY — A 37-year-old Far Rockaway man was arrested for having sexual relations with a minor, police said.
Anthony Miranda, of 707 Beach 9th St., was arrested for allegedly having sexual contact with a 12-year-old girl known to him at 3:15 p.m. March 6 in the vicinity of Beach 64th Street, police said.
The victim was taken to St. John’s Hospital for evaluation. The investigation was ongoing.
Queens man hurt in run-in with police van
BROOKLYN — A Queens man was in serious condition following a motorcycle accident in Brooklyn with a police vehicle, police said.
Eric Daniels, 36, of 194-01 113th Rd., was traveling eastbound on Liberty Avenue in a motorcycle at 9:10 p.m. last Thursday when he struck the driver’s side of a marked patrol van responding to an emergency call. The van was traveling northbound on Pennsylvania Avenue, police said.
Daniels was taken to Brookdale Hospital in serious condition with injuries to the head and chest, while one officer was in stable condition at Jamaica Hospital for a hand injury, police said.
