Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the arrest of Maikel Martinez, charged with orchestrating a staged car accident. The incident, which occurred on the busy Belt Parkway, involved reckless endangerment and a calculated collision designed to defraud.
“This defendant and his accomplices allegedly manufactured a crash on a heavily trafficked highway, intentionally ramming an unsuspecting driver after forcing her to halt in the Belt Parkway’s left lane,” stated DA Katz. “Such brazen and reckless actions placed countless individuals at risk. Our investigation remains active, and we urge anyone who believes they may have been targeted in a similar staged accident to contact the NYPD Office of Fraudulent Collision Investigation Squad at 718-822-5403.”
Martinez, 28, from Dyker Heights, faced arraignment last night on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including staging a motor vehicle accident, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, conspiracy, and insurance fraud. Criminal Court Judge Jerry Iannece has scheduled Martinez’s return to court for January 7, 2025. A conviction could result in a prison sentence ranging from 2 1/3 to 7 years.
Court documents detail the alleged scheme, which unfolded on October 16, 2024, at approximately 11:11 a.m. Asphia Natasha was driving northbound on the Belt Parkway in Rosedale, near the Nassau County line. Crucially, Ms. Natasha’s vehicle was equipped with front and rear dash cameras, capturing the entire sequence of events.
The incident began when a silver Honda Civic abruptly cut in front of Ms. Natasha’s car and then slammed on its brakes, forcing her to take evasive action to avoid a collision. Immediately following this near miss, the Honda reversed directly into Ms. Natasha’s vehicle, causing damage to both cars. Eyewitness accounts and dashcam footage reveal that the occupants of the Honda then obscured the rear window with what appeared to be a plastic tarp, partially blocking the victim’s view inside. Furthermore, the individuals inside the Honda were observed changing seats within the vehicle.
Following the collision, four individuals emerged from the Honda. A woman exited the driver’s side, while Martinez identified himself and claimed the woman was his wife and the driver. Two other occupants, a woman and a man, remain unidentified at this time.
The dashcam footage further revealed a red Kia Sportage trailing Ms. Natasha’s vehicle. Immediately after the staged crash, the Kia positioned itself in front of the Honda. The fourth occupant from the Honda then entered the Kia, which promptly departed the scene.
Martinez was apprehended on Thursday upon his arrival in New York on a flight from Ecuador.
The investigation into this staged accident and potential related schemes is ongoing.
Assistant District Attorney Josefina Martinez, Section Chief of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, is leading the prosecution, assisted by Assistant District Attorney Joshua Trachtenberg. The case is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Joseph T. Conley III, Bureau Chief, and Hana C. Kim, Deputy Bureau Chief, and the overall direction of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard Brave.
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