Cabbie Robbed at Knife Point

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 22- Police are asking for the public’s help in trying to catch a knife-wielding robber who stuck up a cabbie in Mott Haven.

Cops say the 26-year-old livery cab driver picked up his fair at around 2:50 a.m. at East 180th Street and Southern Boulevard in  West Farms. The cabbie drove to 515 East 143 Street in Mott Haven where he pulled out a knife and demanded money. Cops say after grabbing an unknown amount of cash, the robber left the cab and fled into the courtyard of a nearby building. 

Police released surveillance video taken from inside the cab in the hope of catching the thief. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male between the ages of 25 and 25. He is 5 foot 7 and weighs 140 pounds. He has a beard and was last seen wearing a dark Yankees hat and denim jacket. 

Anyone with information is urged to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Carnage on The Concourse

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Carnage on The Concourse: 1 Dead, 4 Injured in Separate crashes Photo by David Greene By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 22- Two separate accidents along the Gr...

Carnage on The Concourse

1 Dead, 4 Injured in Separate crashes

Photo by David Greene

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 22- Two separate accidents along the Grand Concourse in a 7-hour span have left one person dead and three others injured, one critically.

Police were first called to the Grand Concourse at just after 9 a.m. on May 17, when investigators said two children were crossing at E. 167 Street. They were struck by a silver BMW traveling Northbound.

The unidentified pair was rushed to a local hospital with severe head trauma. Police say the driver remained at the scene and no criminality is suspected.

At just after 3:30 p.m., officers from the NYPD's Accident Investigation Squad were called back to the Grand Concourse at E. 172 Street, when an out-of-control SUV struck three people.

Police say Zuleimi Torres, 16,  was crossing the Concourse with a friend, at E. 172 Street in Mt. Eden, when she was struck by a Chevy SUV headed Northbound.

Torres was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital where she was declared dead upon her arrival to the hospital. The unidentified friend, a 16-year old girl, was recovering at the same hospital and was listed as in, "satisfactory condition."

The vehicle struck a third person, a 51-year-old woman, who was recovering at Bronx Lebanon Hospital, she was initially reported in serious condition, but has been upgraded to stable.

The suspected drunk-driver was immediately brought to the 45th Precinct for a court-ordered blood test, but that test apparently came back negative for alcohol.

Several media outlets had reported through official NYPD, "sources," that the driver had a, "medical condition," and that no charges were expected to be filed, but detectives continue to investigate.

A third serious crash took place at 2:45 p.m., at the intersection of Westchester Avenue and Morrison Avenue where two children, ages 9 and 11 were struck. The pair was transported to Jacobi Hospital in critical condition.

In another recent crash, Manuel Verdesoto, 82, a resident of Soundview was struck and killed as he crossed busy White Plains Road at just after 7 p.m., on May 15, when he was rundown by a gray 2001 Volvo.

The driver Nabaali Cletus, 46, of Van Nest allegedly produced a forged New York State photo ID card and was charged with operating a motor vehicle without a driver's license and criminal possession of a forged instrument.

On March 17, Korean immigrant  and Bedford Park resident Sook-Ja Kim was struck and killed along Mosholu Parkway when a driver lost control of his vehicle.

Police would only say that the 22-year old Hispanic male suffered a seizure and lost control of a 1997 Honda Accord, striking the victim from behind. The crash was deemed an accident and no charges were filed.

Meanwhile, detectives continue to hunt for the driver who struck and killed a man in Fordham Heights.

The victim, Nelson Martinez, 61, was crossing the Concourse at Field Place back on March 2, when the vehicle struck him and continued to travel southbound at a high rate of speed.

Martinez died at St. Barnabas Hospital on Sunday, March 17, as a result of the injuries he suffered in the crash.

In 2009, the Grand Concourse underwent a $18 million makeover between E. 161 Street and E. 167 Street. Officials continue to seek funding for the roadway above E. 167 Street. 

Anyone with information on the hit-and-run is asked to call CRIMSTOPPERS at (800)577-TIPS.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Monroe Track Takes Home National Bling

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Monroe Track Takes Home National Bling: By Gary Axelbank BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 20- Three of the brightest stars in the Monroe Mustangs track and field constellation took home som...

Monroe Track Takes Home National Bling

By Gary Axelbank

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 20- Three of the brightest stars in the Monroe Mustangs track and field constellation took home some impressive jewelry at the 2013 NJCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships held this past weekend at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson, KS.   

Lithuanian sophomore Tautvydas 'TK' Kieras won his second straight national discus championship, Sengalese freshman Mamadou Gueye finished second in the long jump and third in the triple jump, and Colombian sophomore Francisco Escobar took fourth in the pole vault. Those remarkable achievements helped propel the Mustangs men's team to a sixth place overall finish in the Nationals out of 36 teams. They also finished sixth at the Indoor Nationals in March.

"We did great this weekend," said head coach Mark Goodman.  "Those three athletes exemplify the best of the Mustangs. They are quality citizens, excellent students, and in the biggest showcase of the year, performed better than almost everyone in the nation. Actually, we had some opportunities to score points that didn't pan out and when I look at the final team standings it's clear that we are becoming one of the premier track programs in the NJCAA."

TK's performance was an example of a true champion rising to the occiasion. Out of his six throws, he had fouled on three of them and he was rooted at the fifth spot going into his final throw. But just as he did when he won the national title in 2012, his final toss won him the 2013 championship. His 51.98m was actually well below his own customary distance, but it was unsurpassed at this meet, earning him two national titles in his two years at Monroe.  

"TK is a champion, no doubt about it," Coach Goodman said.  "He practices diligently and everything he does, from his diet, to his leisure activities, to his mental fitness, to his willingness to improve at his sport, fueled his achievements at Monroe."

Kieras will bring his gold medals with him when he continues his college career at Mississippi State in the fall.

Gueye's performance over the weekend was no less remarkable.  Beset with painful tendinitis, his coaches urged him to ease up in the more grueling triple jump to save his knees for the long jump on Saturday. But once he hit the runway on Friday morning, his competitive spirit took over and he made it clear to jumping coach Rachel Cassata that he could not triple jump without trying to win. His 52'3" was good for third.  

On Saturday, as he limped around the track during warmups, no one could think they were looking at the future silver medalist.  But indeed, he jumped 25' 1/2" and took second. He had won the triple jump at the indoor nationals in March, and was second in the long jump, there too.  

Though Escobar's story is laced with glory off the field, he will tell you that it's his sport that is the source of all his accomplishments, including winning the Mr. World title in the fall, and completing his studies at Monroe with a 3.8 GPA.  At the Nationals on Saturday morning he jumped 14'7", taking fourth in the process.  

In other action, the men's 4x400m relay team (Antione Davis, Joshua Blango, Damion Walker, Joel Johnson) ran 3:13.57 in the final race of the long weekend, simultaneously taking sixth place and moving the Mustangs from a ninth-place team finish, to sixth. It is noteworthy that in the semifinals on Friday they set a school record, running 3:12.96.

In addition to running the 4x400m, Blango qualified for three races on Saturday. He also did the 110m hurdles (14.33, 14.14 in the semis) and 400m hurdles, where he had a fifth place finish, but was DQ'd for hooking a hurdle. 

In the 100m dash, Suwaibou Sanneh ran a fast 10.3 in Saturday's finals, finishing sixth. On Friday he qualified with an even faster 10.19. 

Johnson set a school record on Friday in the 400m dash, running 48.62.

Monroe had a difficult moment on Friday as high hopes were dashed in the men's 4x100m when the first and second legs mishandled the baton and dropped it. As a result, Monroe was DQ'd and did not get a chance to follow-up their Penn Pelays championship.

The women's 4x100m (Manaiza Kelley, Melika Lewis, Shanice Cameron, Tyra Jamison) finished ninth with a school record time of 47.11, just missing the cut for the finals.

Dennisha Frazier competed in the high jump and the long jump.  

"When I look back at this long season, we had our largest-ever cross country team go to the nationals, we finished sixth in the indoor and our indoor women's 4x400m relay was at the All-american level, and we were quite successful at outdoors, too, " said Coach Goodman. "We'll rest for a split second and then go back at putting together another quality team for next year."

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Grand Jury Indicts Drug Gang

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Grand Jury Indicts Drug Gang  : BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 20-  District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced that a grand jury has indicted 37 alleged drug dealers from rival ...

Grand Jury Indicts Drug Gang

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 20- District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced that a grand jury has indicted 37 alleged drug dealers from rival crews in the Highbridge section of the Bronx following an 11-month long investigation.

The grand jury returned a 124-count indictment charging the defendants with conspiracy to sell narcotics, criminal sale and possession of narcotics, attempted murder, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal sale and possession of marijuana, and possession of ammunition. According to the indictment, the alleged conspiracy occurred between May 10, 2008 and May 10, 2013.

It is alleged that the defendants, belonged to either the ‘Woodycrime’ crew or ‘165th and Nelson’ crew, and “acted-in-concert” in engaging in more than 100 drug transactions of varying quantities, with undercover detectives during the course of the investigation.

The overwhelming majority of the illegal drug sales occurred on a one block stretch of 165th Street between Woodcrest and Nelson Avenues, where all of the defendants resided.

Luis “Lou” Pacheco, 21, was charged in connection with two separate shootings. In one incident, which occurred on November 9, 2011, Pacheco allegedly shot Nicholas Barbour in the back with a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Barbour was struck when Pacheco allegedly fired several shots at a moving minivan on West 165th Street and Woodycrest Avenue. The gunfire is believed to be tied to an unknown issue arising from an attempt to purchase marijuana. 

Pacheco was indicted for attempted murder in the second degree, assault in the first and second degrees, and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. He is facing a maximum sentence of up to 25 years imprisonment if convicted of the most serious offense, attempted murder. The other shooting for which Pacheco was indicted occurred on January 16, 2011 when he allegedly fired in the direction of a crowd of people striking Marvin Fortuna in the hand. That shooting occurred on East 161st Street and Gerard Avenue during an altercation outside a coffee shop. Pacheco was charged with assault in the third degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, and Reckless Endangerment in the first degree. The most serious offense, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to fifteen years imprisonment if convicted.

Pacheco, an alleged principal player in the ‘Woodycrime’ crew, was arraigned before Acting State Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett and was ordered held without bail. Another alleged leader of the ‘Woodcrime’ crew Christian Caban, 27, was also remanded while bail for a third alleged principal player, Marvin Gamoneda, 27, was set at $350,000 bond or $250,000 cash.

Of the 37 defendants named in the indictment, 25 have been taken into custody. More arrests are expected and additional charges are expected to be filed in this continuing investigation as a result of the seizure of illegal weapons and narcotics when investigators executed arrest and search warrants pursuant to this indictment. The most serious conspiracy charge against the defendants, conspiracy in the third degree, is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to seven years imprisonment if convicted. The most serious drug charge, criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to nine years imprisonment on each count, if convicted, depending on their prior criminal records.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

District Attorney Johnson acknowledged the following for their efforts in building this case: the NYPD Bronx Narcotics Division’s Operation Good Neighbor; the 44th Precinct Detective Squad; and the 44th Precinct Anti-Crime Patrol Unit.

Assistant District Attorney Terry Gensler, of the Gangs / Major Case Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Edward Talty, Chief of the Gangs / Major Case Bureau.