By Dustin Brown
A Middle Village woman was shot in the torso Saturday after she got caught in the line of early-morning gunfire outside a Manhattan nightclub, where a bullet also grazed the head of a Maspeth man, police said.
Adrian Sinclair, 32, of Richmond, Va., allegedly fired numerous shots into a crowd at the corner of Third Avenue and 51st Street at 4:15 a.m., striking Veronica Rodas, 28, of 80th Street and Salvador Fescina, 23, of Caldwell Avenue, police said. Sinclair apparently had just left Club 151 at 151 E. 50th St., Newsday reported Sunday.
Rodas immediately fell to the ground after getting hit in the stomach, and Fescina began bleeding profusely from his forehead, which had been nicked by a passing bullet.
Both were taken to New York University Hospital, where doctors removed Rodas’ spleen and surgically repaired her liver to treat her internal injuries, according to the criminal complaint filed by the Manhattan district attorney’s office. She was listed in serious condition Tuesday, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Fescina was treated with numerous stitches to his forehead and released.
Sinclair has been charged with assault, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon, the criminal complaint said. He was arraigned Sunday evening and ordered held without bail, D.A. spokeswoman Sherry Hunter said.
Sinclair was arrested after officers from the 17th Precinct heard the gunshots and ran to the scene, which is less than a block from the station house.
Onlookers directed cops to a red Mazda, where Sinclair was allegedly climbing into the back seat with a gun still in his hand, police said.
Although Sinclair did not acknowledge orders to stop moving, Officer Christopher Colenda restrained him after climbing into the car through an open door and overpowering him, police said.
Sgt. Michael McHugh then handcuffed and arrested Sinclair, whose hands had been injured by broken glass in the car, police said.
Officers recovered a 9-mm handgun in the car, police said.
Newsday reported that Sinclair had allegedly fired into the crowd after a group of eight to 10 men accosted him and damaged his red Mazda.
Reach reporter Dustin Brown by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 154.
