By Ivan Pereira
A Queens judge handed the man who left a former NYPD officer for dead during a carjacking before leading the police on a wild ride on the streets of southeast Queens a lengthy prison sentence for his crimes, the Queens district attorney said last week.
Michael R. Johnson, 28, was given a 32 1/2 to 40-year prison sentence for his July convictions on several charges, including attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon, Queens DA Richard Brown said.
Two years ago, Johnson became violent when he stole Milton Miller’s BMW 750 from his Laurelton home, according to the DA.
“The victim was carjacked outside his home and shot numerous times by the defendant — who left him critically wounded and fighting for his life,” he said in a statement.
On May 11, 2009, Miller was getting out of his luxury sedan when Johnson approached him with a loaded silver pistol in his hand, Brown said. Miller, a retired police officer, protested and Johnson responded by firing several shots that struck the victim in his chest and stomach, according to the DA.
Johnson made off with the vehicle and Miller was rushed to a hospital with critical injuries.
Investigators found eight spent shell casings and three fragmented bullets from a .380 automatic pistol at the scene, Brown said. Miller survived the shooting, but he told reporters at the sentencing that he still has the bullet in his chest.
Three days after the carjacking, Johnson was spotted making a U-turn in a 2009 GMC SUV at 75th Street and 91st Avenue and then traveling at a high rate of speed along Conduit Avenue, Brown said. Johnson repeatedly changed lanes without signaling and tailgated other cars before finally stopping at a Brooklyn gas station, according to Brown.
When police officers who had been chasing Johnson apprehended him at the gas station, they found that he not only had the keys to Miller’s BMW but also the keys to another BMW that was stolen in Long Island earlier that morning, the DA said,
Johnson also had $1,970 in forged U.S. currency, a forged John F. Kennedy International Airport security photo identification card and a forged Louisiana driver’s license that had his photo and the name “Anis Saleh,” according to Brown.
“The lengthy prison sentence imposed today by the court is more than warranted to hold the defendant accountable for his actions and to protect society,” he said.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
