Brooklyn Man Charged in Alleged Belt Parkway Crash Staging
ROSEDALE, Queens (WABC) — A Brooklyn man, Maikel Martinez, 28, of Dyker Heights, has been arrested and charged with staging a motor vehicle accident and other crimes after an incident on the Belt Parkway last month. The incident, which involved Martinez’s vehicle intentionally backing into another car, was captured on dashcam footage and went viral online.
According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, “The defendant and others allegedly staged a crash on a busy highway…Countless lives were jeopardized due to this incredibly reckless conduct.”
Martinez was arraigned Thursday night on multiple charges, including:
- Staging a motor vehicle accident
- Criminal mischief
- Reckless endangerment
- Conspiracy
- Insurance fraud
He pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to return to court on January 7. If convicted, he could face a prison sentence of up to seven years.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on October 16, 2024, at approximately 11:11 a.m. The victim, identified as Ashpia Natasha, was driving north in the left lane of the Belt Parkway in Rosedale near the Nassau County border. Her vehicle was equipped with front and rear dashboard cameras.
According to the charges, a silver Honda Civic, driven by the defendant, cut in front of Natasha’s car and then came to a sudden stop, forcing Natasha to brake. The Honda then quickly reversed, colliding with Natasha’s vehicle. The occupants of the Honda then attempted to obscure the view inside the car with what appeared to be a plastic tarp, and they also switched seating positions.
Following the collision, four individuals exited the Honda, including a woman who exited from the driver’s side, and a man, who identified himself as Maikel Martinez and claimed the driver was his wife. Another woman and man who exited the vehicle remain unidentified. Dashcam footage revealed that a red Kia Sport was following Natasha’s car. After the crash, the Kia stopped in front of the Honda, and a fourth occupant from the Honda entered the Kia, which then left the scene.
District Attorney Katz is urging anyone who believes they may be a victim of a staged car crash to contact the NYPD Office of Fraudulent Collision Investigation Squad at 718-822-5403 or the Queens DA Consumer Fraud Helpline at 718-286-6673.
