According to the New York Post, prosecutors allege that an NYPD officer let his girlfriend drive his police vehicle while intoxicated, then covered up the crime after she crashed into a taxi.
Deputy Inspector Paul Zangrilli, 44, swapped seats with his girlfriend after she was drunk and crashed into a cab, offering the cab driver between $500 and $1,000, court documents state. New York Post According to the report, prosecutors alleged that Zangrilli immediately called the captain and lied, saying the accident had happened on his way to work and that he was alone in the car. ABC NewsAccording to ABC News, Zangrilli is also under investigation for allegedly using his position to try to get the bar to remove footage of him and his girlfriend drinking before the incident. (Related: “This is the worst drunk driving murder I’ve ever seen”: Judge sentences man arrested 8 times for drunk driving.)
According to the New York Post, Zangrilli has been charged by Manhattan prosecutors with falsifying business records, obstruction of justice, official misconduct, driving under the influence and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.
“This conduct was extremely dangerous, injuring a taxi driver and endangering the safety of many other drivers and pedestrians. Moreover, the NYPD Deputy Inspector, who was in command at the time, allegedly went to great lengths to cover up the incident in order to avoid responsibility,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. Associated Press(Related article: Rep. Andy Biggs: It’s time to defund Alvin Bragg’s office)
The incident allegedly occurred in 2022, according to ABC News.
Zangrilli has pleaded not guilty and is due to appear in court again in September, according to the New York Post.
