Police have arrested the man allegedly responsible for crashing his car into a 62-year-old woman walking a baby stroller across a north Bronx street earlier this month as another driver in a similar but separate incident is now being sought as well.
On Sunday, the NYPD arrested 69-year-old Otello Rapini of Mahopac for leaving the scene of an accident, one which had its horrific collision caught on video.
The woman was crossing Mace Avenue at Eastchester Road when the man’s turning SUV entered the crosswalk and struck both the woman and stroller-bound infant at about 2:20 p.m. last Monday afternoon, according to the NYPD.
After knocking the victims to the ground, the man pulled over, exited his vehicle and approached the woman and child at the crosswalk, shortly after he went back to his car and fled the scene.
The infant and woman were rushed to Jacobi Hospital where they were fortunately reported to be in stable condition, the 62-year-old refused medical attention for a bruised leg and the toddler was treated for a head contusion.
Police are also searching for a driver who struck a 48-year-old woman crossing the intersection of Burnside and Jerome Avenues at about 6:10 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 7.
She was legally crossing Jerome Avenue from west to east when a dark colored Dodge Caliber turned right from E. Burnside Avenue and collided with the victim.
The driver then ran over the woman instead of stopping and fled northbound on Jerome Avenue – fortunately the woman was reported to be in stable condition with severe leg trauma at St. Barnabas Hospital.
The Dodge Caliber sedan being sought by police is described as having tinted windows, black rims, a dent on the front passenger side fender, with small stickers located on the right and left top of the rear windshield and on the passenger side window vent.
At the time of the incident the vehicle had one rear license plate affixed to it.
Anyone with information in regard these this incidents is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, or on Twitter @NYPDTips.
All calls are strictly confidential.
