A retired NYPD narcotics detective has been released from jail after posting a $1 million bail. This comes amid allegations that he shot a driver during a road rage incident on the George Washington Bridge last week.
Victor Romero, 62, secured the bail on Friday, according to Department of Correction records. This was just three days after he reportedly killed Con Ed employee Koran Irvine in a drive-by shooting and subsequently fled the scene.
Initially facing a murder charge, Romero’s charges were later reduced to manslaughter, much to the disbelief of Irvine’s family and friends, who described him as a cherished father of two.
“If he was charged with murder, he should have been held without bail,” expressed Irvine’s family attorney, Keith White, during a conversation with The Post on Sunday.
He noted that in many serious cases where suspects face murder charges, they are typically held without bail. “Yet I’ve seen instances where people charged with lesser crimes aren’t released because they are considered a flight risk,” he said.
According to sources, Romero and Irvine, both residents of Rockland County, nearly collided during a lane change on the ramp to the upper level of the outbound bridge.
After this close call, it is alleged that Romero pursued Irvine’s vehicle, pulled up beside it, and shot through the window, hitting Irvine in the shoulder before speeding away.
The day following the incident, Romero was arrested on murder charges, which were quickly downgraded at his arraignment, leaving many puzzled, especially as prosecutors described the event as “particularly senseless.”
Latest on the George Washington Bridge shooting that left a Con Ed worker dead
Outside Manhattan Criminal Court, approximately a dozen of Irvine’s family and friends voiced their belief that Romero received special treatment from the justice system, a sentiment that attorney White echoed.
“So, a person who chases down someone, kills them in a car, and then flees the scene—without calling 911—isn’t considered a flight risk?” he questioned rhetorically.
As Irvine’s loved ones grapple with the impact of Romero’s release while organizing funeral arrangements, they are feeling the emotional toll, according to sources close to them.
The value of Romero’s retirement payments had been undisclosed by the New York City Police Pension Fund public database. He retired from the NYPD in 2001 and was reportedly working as a driver for the CEO of QVT Financial, a significant biotech and energy investment firm. He was driving the firm’s Range Rover SUV at the time of the alleged shooting.
Romero is scheduled to return to court on Tuesday, according to court documents.
