By Prince Hakeem
On February 12, the father of rap Queen Nicki Minaj tragically lost his life after becoming the victim of a hit-and-run crash. Robert Maraj, 64, was killed after he was hit while walking in the roadway on Roslyn Road near his Mineola, NY home. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he subsequently died the following Saturday morning.
Now the suspect involved in the hit-and-run has been revealed. 70-year-old Charles Polevich turned himself in early Wednesday after leaving the scene where Maraj was struck on Friday. The Long Island native has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident and tampering with evidence. Police attempted to tamper with evidence by hiding his car in his garage under a tarp after fleeing the scene. He asked a dying Maraj if he was OK before he left.
According to Nassau County Police, Maraj was “walking in the roadway” on Roslyn Road when Polevich allegedly struck him near Raff Ave. Around 6:15 p.m., Polevich then got out of his car and stood over Maraj. He asked him if “he was OK”, then jumped back into his vehicle and drove off. He left him there to die.
“The defendant then exited his vehicle, stood over the victim, asked him ifhe was OK,’ walked and returned to his vehicle and fled the scene,” a criminal complaint reads.
Police also detailed that Maraj was either walking home or to a local store. The sidewalks were covered in snow, hence the reason why he was in the roadway. Court papers revealed that Polevich drove home avoiding intersections knowing where the cameras would be.
“He was aware of what happened,” Nassau County Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick said at a press conference. “He got out of the car and looked at the deceased. He made the conscious decision to leave.”
Polevich is being held on a $250,000 bond and due back in court Friday.
