File Photo
The victim was hit at the intersection of Murray Street and 17th Road.
By Forum Staff
A 53-year-old Queens man driving with a suspended license has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to assault and other charges.
The defendant sped through a stop sign while driving under the influence of alcohol and critically injured a 71- year-old man on Thanksgiving Day last year. “In pleading guilty, the defendant has now admitted to driving while intoxicated and seriously injuring a 71-year-old man on Thanksgiving Day last year,” said DA Brown.
The defendant is identified as Carmine Minichino, 53, of 46th Avenue in Corona. He pled guilty in June to second-degree assault, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting/serious physical injury, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and failing to stop for a stop sign. Queens Supreme Court Justice Suzanne Melendez yesterday sentenced the defendant to two and one-half years in prison to be followed by two years’ post release supervision and ordered him to pay a fine of $1400.
According to the criminal charges, Minichino was driving a 2009 white Chevy van in Whitestone, Queens, at approximately 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, November 23, 2017, when he went through a stop sign at a high rate of speed. He struck Paul Sim, 71, who was crossing the street causing the victim to be hurled in the air and land several feet away. Afterstriking Mr. Sim, the white van proceeded to run over him. Minichino then sped away from the scene. Simwas taken to a local hospital with a compound fracture to his right leg and bleeding on the brain, which required him to undergo multiple surgeries. Minichino abandoned his van a short distance away and fled on foot. When he later returned with keys in hand to retrieve the vehicle, he had a moderate odor of alcohol on his breath and bloodshot watery eyes. When police requested to see the defendant’s license he was unable to produce a valid driver’s license.
An intoxilyzer exam was administrated to the defendant at the 112th Precinct and the results indicated that Minichino had .152% or more of alcohol in his blood – which is nearly twice the legal limit of .08 in New York City.
