A Long Island man is facing a sentence of up to 40 years to life in prison after he allegedly intentionally drove into an occupied cop car after being pulled over in Laurelton earlier this year.
Antoine Sheppard, a 52-year-old man from West Hempstead, was arraigned on 36-count indictment, which included charges for attempted murder, in Queens Supreme court on Friday, April 30, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Prior to the January 2021 incident, Sheppard, and two others, had come under police investigation for their suspected involvement in a drug trafficking ring in southeast Queens, according to the DA.
As part of their surveillance, the NYPD heard tell that Sheppard was scheduled to make a drug delivery and began to follow him as he drove a range Rover toward 131st Street and 235th Avenue, according to the charges.
Attempting to pull him over, police inside several cars created a barrier around Sheppard’s car, the DA said. Sheppard allegedly then reversed the car, slamming into the police car behind him. He then put the car into drive and drove into the car in front of him, stepping on the gas in an effort to make enough space for him to squeeze out of, Katz said.
The police car was pushed to the point that it nearly hit a detective who was standing outside the car, according to the police.
Making an escape, Sheppard ditched his car several blocks away and disappeared until a few weeks later when he was cuffed in Nassau County, according to the authorities.
The two others charged in the indictment include brothers Brian Grant, 56, and Darion Grant, 51, who both live in Jamaica.
The DA alleges the pair sold drugs alongside Sheppard during the NYPD’s surveillance of the trio dating back to May 2020.
The Grant brothers face conspiracy, criminal sale of a controlled substance and criminal use of of drug paraphernalia charges. If convicted, they face up to 25 years in prison.
The Grants, who were both arraigned on April 6, will return to court on May 11. Sheppard was also ordered to return to court on May 11.
