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Long Island City man admits to running down teenager with his minivan for throwing eggs on Halloween

Long Island City High School quarterback Christopher Miraba suffered spinal fractures and other serious injuries following a vicious Halloween 2017 hit-and-run attack.
Photo via Facebook

A Long Island City man pleaded guilty on Thursday to running down and severely injuring a 17-year-old boy with his van after seeing him with an egg-throwing group of Halloween revelers.

Richard Keith (a.k.a. Keith Richard), 51, copped a plea on April 18 to first-degree assault for the Oct. 31, 2017 incident in Long Island City. Acting Queens Supreme Court Justice Barry Kron indicated that he would order Keith to serve 9 years behind bars, followed by three years’ probation, at his May 16 sentencing hearing.

Chief Assistant District Attorney John Ryan said that Keith got fed up seeing a group of individuals throwing eggs in the area of 23rd Street and Jackson Avenue on Halloween night 2017 and decided to take vengeance with his 2008 Dodge Caravan. He drove the van at the group, chased the victim down Jackson Avenue as he tried to flee and eventually struck him.

After hitting the teenager, law enforcement sources said, Keith then backed the minivan over the victim, then ran him over a third time before traveling a half-block and stopping his van.

When an eyewitness approached the van about the incident, Keith said, “F— that. He wants to hit people with eggs, that’s what he gets.”

Officers from the 108th Precinct and EMS units responded to the incident. The teenager — Christopher Miraba, then a star football player at Long Island City High School — suffered a fractured skull, multiple spinal fractures, bruised lungs, a broken right femur, a pelvic fracture and a broken right ankle.

“Because of this defendants actions – using his vehicle as if it were a two ton weapon – this young victim suffered serious injuries that still affect him to this day,” Ryan said. “The defendant has admitted his guilt and will spend considerable time in prison for acting out in anger to settle a petty dispute.”