By Bill Parry
A Corona man was arrested and charged with attempted murder Friday in a subway shoving incident over the weekend, according to the NYPD.
George Puatt, 38, was tracked down by detectives from the 115th Precinct, after he was caught on surveillance cameras rushing out of the 103rd Street-Corona Plaza station Saturday. Puatt allegedly pushed a 17-year-old victim off the Manhattan-bound platform, according to police.
The motorman spotted the victim and slammed on the brakes as the teenager was able to squeeze herself between the platform and the wheels of the train, according to the NYPD.
The victim was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center with only minor injuries to her ribs, according to police.
Puatt, a resident of 42nd Avenue in Corona, is awaiting arraignment on charges of second-degree attempted murder.
“It was great to hear that the suspected Corona subway-pusher was arrested,” state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) said. “I want to applaud the police for the investigation that led to the quick arrest of the suspect.”
Noting that more than 100 people are struck by subway trains each year, and dozens of those individuals are killed, Peralta introduced a bill in the state Senate earlier this year that would direct the MTA to improve subway riders’ security. His legislation is currently in the Transportation Committee.
“My proposal would require the MTA to examine all viable options to make our subway transit system safer for its riders, including one to study the feasibility of installing sliding doors on subway platforms,” Peralta said. “The MTA should also look at the possibility of installing more security cameras and making sure that ones that are in place are operational.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr
