Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the guilty plea of HAMZA SALMAN, 28, for speeding through multiple red lights, colliding into a yellow cab and significantly injuring its 51-year-old driver in October 2022. SALMAN pleaded guilty to one count of Assault in the Second Degree. He will be sentenced to two years in state prison on March 5.
“Because of Hamza Salman’s recklessness, a New York City cabdriver experiences constant pain as he works to make a living. We will not tolerate dangerous drivers who put the lives of others at risk, and today’s guilty plea makes clear that we will continue to treat traffic violence with the seriousness it deserves. Safe streets are essential for holistic and lasting public safety in our neighborhoods,” said District Attorney Bragg.
As admitted in the defendant’s guilty plea, on October 30, 2022, at approximately 4:00 a.m., SALMAN started speeding alongside another car southbound down Fifth Avenue and ran through two red lights at East 45th and East 44th Streets.
A yellow cab driver was driving eastbound on East 44th Street, preparing to turn onto Fifth Avenue when SALMAN crashed into the vehicle at a speed of approximately 99 miles per hour. SALMAN was driving at such a high speed that it took his vehicle a full block to come to a stop after the crash.
The crash broke the cab driver’s ribs, collar bone, and scapula, which required multiple surgeries. Though he has been able to return to work, he continues to experience constant pain and limited range of motion.
Assistant D.A. Edward Smith (Trial Bureau 60) is handling the prosecution of this case, under the supervision of Harrison Schweiloch (Deputy Chief of Trial Bureau 60), Charles Whitt (Chief of Trial Bureau 60) and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD, particularly the Midtown South Precinct, the Highway Collision Investigation Squad, and the Lower Manhattan Security Initiative.
Defendant Information:
HAMZA SALMAN
New York, New York
Convicted:
- Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
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