Booked For Attempted Murder
A 23-year-old man has been arraigned on charges that he allegedly struck with his SUV three 105th Precinct officers who attempted to question him as he sat in his vehicle near a Queens Village intersection, it was announced.
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown identified the suspect as Jeffrey Contreras, 23, of Hollis Court in Queens Village, who surrendered last Tuesday, Aug. 21 to authorities.
Contreras was arraigned last Wednesday, Aug. 22, before Queens Criminal Court Judge Lenora Gerald on a criminal complaint charging him with three counts of first-degree attempted murder, three counts of second degree attempted murder, three counts of second-degree assault (with intent to cause physical injury), three counts of second-degree assault (with intent to prevent a police officer from performing a lawful duty) and four counts of first-degree reckless endangerment.
The suspect, who faces up to 15 years to life in prison if convicted, was ordered held on $300,000 bail and to return to court on Sept. 5.
According to the criminal complaint, P.O. Joseph Grubert observed Contreras in the driver’s seat of a Toyota SUV located at the intersection of 222nd Street and 92nd Road at approximately 1:35 a.m. on Aug. 17. When Grubert allegedly asked Contreras to step out of the vehicle, the defendant refused and grabbed the driver’s seat headrest to prevent the officer from physically removing him from the vehicle.
It is additionally alleged that Contreras then placed the SUV into gear and proceeded to drive away at a high rate of speed with both Grubert and P.O. Joseph Manzella holding onto the vehicle. Contreras allegedly dragged the two officers for approximately 25 feet before the officers fell from the vehicle and Contreras ran over Grubert’s foot and Manzella’s knees.
The suspect allegedly continued to flee in the SUV until he struck a parked vehicle. It is alleged that Contreras then placed the vehicle in reverse and turned the SUV around, running over Manzella’s ankles this time and striking a third officer, P.O. Anthony Crescimanno, in the torso and throwing him to the ground. Contreras then allegedly drove away from the location.
All three officers were transported to a local Queens hospital. Grubert suffered bruising and swelling to his foot, back spasms and road rash to his hands and arms, as well as substantial pain to his body. Manzella suffered substantial pain to his back and legs and bruising and swelling to his knees, ankles and legs, as well as loss of feeling in the legs. Crescimanno suffered bruising and swelling his knees, hips, and legs, road rash to his arms and substantial pain.
The District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys James W. Evangelou, bureau chief, and Robert J. Hanophy, deputy bu- reau chief, and the overall supervision of Senior Executive Assistant District Attorney for Trials James C. Quinn and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Trials Robert J. Masters.
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It was noted that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
