The police have nabbed an alleged hit-and-run driver who was wanted for fatally striking 5-year-old Jonathan Martinez, pictured, in East Elmhurst earlier this month (Photos: GoFundMe, NYPD and Unsplash)
Sept. 21, 2022 By Michael Dorgan
The police have nabbed an alleged hit-and-run driver who was wanted for fatally striking a 5-year-old boy in East Elmhurst earlier this month.
Xavier Carchipulla, 40, of Astoria, was arrested and charged Wednesday with leaving the scene of a fatal crash and driving without a license—after he allegedly plowed a white pickup truck into victim Jonathan Martinez on Sept. 1.
Carchipulla, who was driving a 2018 Dodge Ram, hit Martinez as he was attempting to cross 100th Street – near the intersection of McIntosh Street — with his father and two brothers, according to police and published reports.
Martinez was holding his father’s hand at the time of the deadly incident, according to video footage and reports. His father pulled him back as he saw the Dodge turning, but the vehicle struck the boy and dragged him, according to CBS New York.
Carchipulla then fled the scene — as Martinez’s family looked on in horror. The family lived about two blocks away from where the boy was struck.
Martinez suffered severe trauma to his head and torso but could not be saved.
Police slapped Carchipulla with other charges including operating a vehicle that wasn’t insured, registered or inspected.
Carchipulla, who works as a construction worker and lives on 33rd Street, has been arrested on at least two occasions for drunk driving, police said.
He was scheduled to be arraigned before Queens Criminal Court Wednesday, police said.
Jonathan Martinez, pictured, was killed as he attempted to cross 100th Street in East Elmhurst (Photo GoFundMe)
The 2018 Dodge Ram allegedly used in the hit-and-run incident (Photo: NYPD)
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5 Comments
With all the police cars with automated license plate readers attached to their trunks, couldn’t this uninsured, unregisterd and uninspected vehicle have been taken off the road long ago? The DMV knows pretty much immediately when any of those three things expire.
I’ve reported so many of these obviously unregistered vehicles to 311 and nothing ever gets done. Not even a parking ticket. It’s disgusting. These cars should be immediately impounded. We have laws for a reason, if you blatantly choose not to follow them then you don’t get to play.
Prosecute to fullest extent
Imagine crossing the border illegally, driving drunk many times and getting caught two times, driving a huge truck without license, registration, insurance, making u-turns at the intersections instead of going around the block.. And finally killing an innocent angel child when tipsy and fleeing the scene to not to get caught drunk again. Why is he still among us? Enjoy your exemplary new neighbor….
The guy who killed him Xavier has been arrested 8 times before killing this boy. Damn shame. Put him away for life or shoot him. Look at his face he has no soul. Close down stance shop on 29th.