A New York Police Department inspector was indicted on charges over accusations he lied to investigators and attempted to erase incriminating video footage of his girlfriend drunkenly crashing his police car into a cab, according to prosecutors. Deputy Inspector Paul Zangrilli, who led a police precinct in Manhattan, allegedly attempted to cover up the 2022 wreck though multiple actions, including switching seats with his girlfriend following the collision and offering money to the cab driver.
Zangrilli pleaded not guilty to all charges and his lawyer, Eric Franz, called him “a respected inspector who looks forward to defending his good name.”
According to Manhattan prosecutors, Zangrilli was out drinking with his girlfriend for a few hours during the summer of 2022 when he let her drive his unmarked police vehicle, which she crashed into a cab. The woman then sped away from the scene with Zangrilli still in the passenger seat. Rather than turning his girlfriend in, Zangrilli switched seats with her and continued driving, prosecutors said. The cab driver caught up with them at a red light and flagged down another police officer when prosecutors say Zangrilli repeatedly offered $500 or $1,000 to the cab driver, instead of exchanging insurance information. Zangrilli then called a police captain and allegedly made several false claims, including that he had been driving alone and was on his way to work when the crash happened. Zangrilli then allegedly signed in to work at his precinct and called the owner of the bar urging him to erase video footage capturing the hours he and his girlfriend spent drinking.
Zangrilli is charged with multiple felonies, including tampering with evidence, offering a false instrument for filing and falsifying business records. He is also charged with drinking while driving and misdemeanors in connection with misconduct and obstruction. He was suspended without pay, the NYPD said.
His girlfriend was also charged with drinking while driving. She pleaded not guilty.
The cab driver, who was injured in the crash, settled a lawsuit against the city over his injuries for $75,000, court records show, according to media outlet, Gothamist.
Source: Fox News
