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Driver Hits Pedestrian Then Tells Police 'I Had a Few Beers,' DA Says

By Nicholas Rizzi | December 10, 2014 4:42pm
 Noel Velasco Escobar, 34, was arrested for DWI after he hit a pedestrian in the arm with his car on Staten Island, prosecutors said.
Noel Velasco Escobar, 34, was arrested for DWI after he hit a pedestrian in the arm with his car on Staten Island, prosecutors said.
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MARINERS HARBOR — A man clipped a pedestrian's arm while driving drunk and admitted to police he "had a few beers" last week, prosecutors said.

Noel Velasco Escobar, 34, was arrested in front of his Arlington Place home on Friday after he hit a 53-year-old pedestrian in the arm with his Chevy Impala on Morningstar Road around 8:30 p.m., court papers read.

When police stopped Escobar, he told them he had was driving back from Brooklyn after drinking.

"I didn't hit anybody, but I heard somebody get hit," he told police, according to court papers.

He had a blood alcohol content of .155, about twice the legal limit, prosecutors charge.

Escobar was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while impaired and leaving the scene of an accident at his arraignment on Saturday, according to the Staten Island District Attorney's office.

He was released without bail and is due back in court on Feb. 2, 2015, according to court records. His lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.

Other notable arrests in Staten Island include:

A gun-wielding robber told a 28-year-old man to "stay alive" after taking $34 cash from him and driving off, prosecutors said.

Anthony Lotito, 28, was arrested on Dec. 2 after he pointed a gun at a man sitting inside his car in front of 147 Burden Ave. around 2:35 a.m., court papers read.

Lotito demanded money from the victim, and took $34 from his wallet before he got into a white Ford car and drove off, court papers read.

Around two hours later, police found Lotito inside the car in front 85 Holland Ave. with the cash in plain view then arrested him, police said.

Lotito was charged with robbery, petit larceny and menacing in the second degree at his arraignment on Saturday, according to the District Attorney's office.

He's been held on $25,000 bail, and is due back in court on Wednesday. His lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.

Lotito was also arrested in October for criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to online court records.

► A Staten Island doctor forged prescription pads to get 11,000 pills from pharmacies around the borough, prosecutors said.

Jill Mattern, 53, used real names of people who were not patients of hers to get pills from eight different pharmacies in Staten Island from May until Sept. 22, court papers read.

Prosecutors said Mattern got 540 oxycodone pills, 540 hydrocodone pills, and 20 zolpidem tablets using the fake prescriptions.

She was arrested by an investigator with the state's Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement in her Todt Hill home on Dec. 2.

Mattern was charged with forgery, criminal possession of a forged instrument and criminal possession of a controlled substance at her arraignment, according to the Staten Island District Attorney's office. She was released without bail and is due back in court of Feb. 2, 2015.

Her lawyer, Mario Gallucci, could not immediately be reached for request for comment.

► A man was arrested after he beat his 9-year-old daughter with a belt, prosecutors said.

Charles Murray, 46, struck his daughter on her arm, wrist, back and leg inside his Roxbury Street apartment causing marks and bruises on Friday, court papers read.

He was charged with assault, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal possession of a weapon and harassment at his Saturday arraignment, according to the District Attorney's office. He was released without bail, had an order of protection issues, and is due back in court on Feb. 18, 2015.

His lawyer, Catherine Sam, did not want to comment for this story.