Police have arrested Tariq Witherspoon, a paramedic with the New York City Fire Department, for allegedly fatally running over Brooklyn teacher Matthew Jansen and then running away in May of last year.
According to police, Jansen, a teacher at PS 110, was crossing McGuinness Boulevard against traffic in Greenpoint on his 58th birthday, May 18, when he was hit by Witherspoon’s Rolls Royce. Witherspoon, 30, reportedly fled the scene.
Witherspoon, a Bushwick resident and paramedic for 11 years, was arrested Tuesday and charged with criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene of an accident, reckless endangerment, reckless driving and a speeding violation.
After Jansen’s death, children at the elementary school where he worked put up a memorial wall in his honor, including a drawing of a crying child and messages such as “I love you, Mr. Jensen. R.I.P.”
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said, “Matthew Jensen was a beloved teacher at PS110 who is greatly missed by his students, co-workers, friends and family. We will now seek to bring this defendant to justice for his alleged actions, which left a community heartbroken.”
Tariq Witherspoon was released after posting $15,000 cash bail. He is suspended from the FDNY without pay.
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