A Queens grand jury indicted a Long Island man on charges of murder, manslaughter, leaving the scene of an incident, and related crimes for allegedly driving over a pedestrian in Queens Village, who had been struck by another vehicle moments earlier, and dragging him along Hempstead Avenue in December 2023.
Warren Rollins, 49, of Pine Street in Elmont, was arraigned Tuesday in Queens Supreme Court on a four-count indictment that also charged him with criminally negligent homicide. If convicted of the top count of second-degree murder, Rollins faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
According to the charges and indictment, on Dec. 10, 2023, at approximately 8:05 p.m., Rollins was behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Traverse traveling eastbound on Hempstead Avenue near 220th Street in Queens Village when he struck 66-year-old Gary Charlotin, who had been lying on the roadway. Moments earlier, the victim, Charlotin, a resident on North Baldwin, was crossing westbound on Hempstead Avenue mid-block when he was struck by a Toyota Camry, driven by another Long Island man. The impact sent Charlotin into the eastbound lane, where he was struck by Rollins.
According to witnesses, Rollins allegedly came to a full stop and was fully aware that the victim was pinned under his SUV after several of the witnesses pointed to Charlotin and warned Rollins not to move his vehicle. Approximately two minutes later, Rollins allegedly drove off at a high rate of speed. The victim was dragged by the Traverse several thousand feet along Hempstead Avenue before Charlotin became dislodged from the SUV several blocks away in the vicinity of Hempstead Avenue at the Cross Island Parkway overpass, where he was found by good Samaritans.
When Charlotin was found, he was still alive but was later pronounced dead at the scene.
A full investigation was launched by the NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad and the Queens District Attorney’s office to review surveillance footage, track down both vehicles and the owners, as well as test DNA from the damaged Traverse.
A grand jury voted to indict Rollins on the charges, and an arrest warrant was issued. Rollins surrendered to law enforcement at the 105th Precinct in Queens Village on the morning of Tuesday, June 3.
“This was a horrific death for the victim,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “As alleged, pedestrian Gary Charlotin was hit by a car while trying to cross Hempstead Avenue and was thrown into the opposite traffic lane. The defendant then allegedly drove over the victim, stopped for more than two minutes, and then proceeded to speed away from the scene while dragging the victim’s body, while the victim was still alive.”
Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Hartofilis ordered Rollins to return to court on July 17.
“The conduct displayed that evening demonstrates a complete disregard for human life,” Katz said.
Osman Zavala-Varela, 38, of Fulton Avenue in Hempstead, the driver alleged to have initially hit the victim, was charged in a separate indictment in 2024 with leaving the scene of an incident without reporting and tampering with physical evidence. He is due back in court on July 10.
