Killed by incensed vendor
An argument between a straphanger and an ex-con incense vendor inside the subway station at Essex and Delancey Sts. on Aug. 28, around 10 p.m., led to a brawl that turned fatal.
Police responded to the scene and found Alfredo Ramos, 51, of Jersey City on the subway platform with injuries to his head. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital where he died from his injuries.
Police subsequently arrested David Green, 57, of the Bronx and charged him with manslaughter in Ramos’s death.
The New York Post reported that Green — who had managed to slip away after the deadly fight — served 12 years in prison for a 1982 manslaughter conviction.
Shoe scuffle
Police said that on Fri., Sept. 4, at 4 p.m., officers responded to a 911 call of a shoplifter at the DSW shoe store at 40 E. 14th St. Upon arrival, the responding officers were told by store officials that the suspect attempted to take several items from the place. The two officers went to place the suspect under arrest, when he reportedly began to fight with them, with the suspect punching one of the cops in the face. All three continued to struggle, falling into one of the clothing racks. The suspect was able to get to his feet and flee the location in an unknown direction.
Both officers were removed to Lenox Hospital, one with bruising to the face and the other with a complaint of pain to the body from falling into the rack.
The suspect is described as having short braids and wearing a yellow plaid shirt, brown hat and glasses.
Anyone with information is asked to call the New York Police Department’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Web site, www.nypdcrimestoppers.com, or texting them to 274637(CRIMES) and then entering TIP577. All tips are confidential.
Tow-truck trouble
A car displaying a registration sticker belonging to another vehicle was being confiscated by police shortly after midnight on Fri., Sept. 4, police said. However, a man jumped into the car and got the engine going when a traffic cop brought a tow truck to the scene in front of 242 W. 14th St. The officer tried to detain the man. Multiple officers eventually caught him after a short foot chase. They allegedly found a marijuana joint in his possession and a fake $100 bill inside the car. Teron Battle, 24, was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument.
Called out by cabbie
A four-person crew’s plan for taxi thievery went awry just after 4 a.m. on Wed., Sept. 2. A cab picked them up at Seventh Ave. South and Christopher St. One of the passengers quickly snatched the driver’s phone and then put a black object to the 31-year-old man’s right temple. The driver complied with an order to stop the car at the curb. A second perpetrator then patted down the hack, located his wallet and removed $110 cash from it. All four of the perps then fled.
The cabbie searched the surrounding area for the four fares-turned-robbers and found three of them. They accepted his offer to buy back the phone — which the driver then promptly used to call police.
Quantasia Johnson, 18, Curtis Tucket, 19, and a 17-year-old girl were all subsequently arrested and charged with felony robbery. A fourth suspect, Nicholas Lowell, 19, who reportedly wore a wig during the incident, remains at large, police said.
Burgled Jane in vain
Some after-hours liquor hunting landed a guy in the slammer on Sat., Sept. 5. A woman, 26, told police that she found a man inside of the closed Jane restaurant, at 100 W. Houston St., around 3:30 a.m. The man was reportedly in possession of three bottles of liquor worth $130.
Police arrested Christopher Steele, 31, and charged him with burglary.
Beer bash
A $1 beer became a weapon inside of the Gourmet 157 convenience store, at 157 Christopher St., on Sat., Sept. 5. Police said that a man entered the store at about 8:45 p.m. and tried to grab some merchandise, after which two clerks tried to stop him. The alleged freeloader then allegedly struck one of the employees, 33, in the face with an unknown object causing a bad cut to the side of his lip. The second clerk, 23, was hit with the beer can in the side of his face, resulting in minor injuries.
Azariah Brundage, 24, was arrested and charged with felony robbery.
Strangers in the night
A burglar was caught in the act in the Village on Sat., Sept. 5. Police said that a 51-year-old man found the crook inside his residence opposite of 805 Greenwich St. around 10:50 p.m. and quickly confronted the man, who fled the premises. The victim followed the perpetrator and alerted police, who joined in the chase.
John Pacheco, 50, allegedly resisted arrest once police caught him. He was charged with felony burglary.
— Zach Williams and Lincoln Anderson
