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Charles Polevich, a man who killed rapper Nicki Minaj's father Robert Maraj in a hit-and-run incident that took place in 2021 has been sentenced to one year in jail.
According to People magazine, on Wednesday, Charles Polevich was sentenced Wednesday following the death of Charles Maraj whom he hit with his Volvo on Long Island in February 2021. A spokesperson for the Nassau County Courthouse confirmed that Polevich must also pay a $5,000 fine and will have his driver's license suspended. "This is just a tragic situation and a situation which if, I think by all accounts, if [he] had stayed at the scene of this accident, this would've been a civil matter, not a criminal matter at all." "I don't think he was responsible for the accident, but he was certainly responsible for the conduct after leaving the scene of the accident. And it's my belief and strong opinion that he suffered from a medical issue, I think a heart issue, that resulted in his leaving the scene of the accident and not being able to recall his conduct or whereabouts thereafter," his attorney Marc Gann told People. In an interview, Nicki Minaj shared that his father's death was "the most devastating loss" of her life. She wrote on her website in May 2021, "Tho I can't really bring myself to discuss the passing of my father as yet; I can say it has been the most devastating loss of my life." "I find myself wanting to call him all the time. More so now that he's gone. Life is funny that way." Maraj died in the hospital one day after the incident, during which Polevich struck him with his 1992 Volvo station wagon as he walked in Mineola, New York. Police later said that Polevich was "absolutely aware of what happened" in the accident, but fled the scene anyway, as per People. Shortly after the incident, " Nassau County Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick at a press conference said, "He got out of the car, looked at the deceased, got into his car and made the conscious decision to leave instead of dialling 911 and calling an ambulance for the man. He went home and secreted his vehicle." Polevich pleaded guilty in May to two felony charges, including leaving the scene of a fatal crash and tampering with physical evidence. He admitted that upon returning home, he hid his Volvo under a tarp. Polevich, who lives in Guam but has a house in Mineola, was eventually tracked down by police who used video footage from neighbouring cameras to identify his "distinctive" vehicle. In May, acting State Supreme Court Justice Howard Sturim told Polevich that he would sentence him to "no more than a year in jail," despite the fact that prosecutors had recommended between one and three years, and he was facing up to 11. The decision of Sturim's upset Maraj's wife and Nicki's mother Carol, who reportedly said she was "not happy with" just one year in jail. In an interview Carol stated that "I was angry, very, very angry." "I started to shake because it brought back all the memories of that night when I was sitting in the hospital." Carol filed a $150 million lawsuit against Polevich in March 2021, with her lawyer Ben Crump saying at the time that Polevich was "not only irresponsible and negligent, but more concerned about running away and hiding than seeking help, " as per People. Marc Gann said in May that he believed his client may have suffered a "medical emergency" immediately after the crash, and said he had insurance and a good driving record. "Mr. Polevich's life story is one of helping others which makes this case so out of character." There are no allegations of substance use or abuse as causative of his conduct and it is our belief that a medical heart issue contributed to Mr. Polevich's conduct. Mr. Polevich could not be more sorry for the loss of Mr. Maraj." (ANI)
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