NEW YORK — A Long Island man has been sentenced to a year in prison for hitting and killing Nicki Minaj’s father with his car and then fleeing the scene, prosecutors said. The man managed to get out of the car and see the victim before escaping.
Charles Polevich, of Mineola, pleaded guilty in May to leaving the scene of an accident without reporting it and tampering with physical evidence, both of which are felonies. Judge Howard Sturim sentenced him Wednesday, fining Polevich $5,000 and suspending his license for six months.
“Given the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct, the NCDA advocated a sentence of 1 to 3 years. The court did not impose our recommended sentence and the defendant was sentenced to 1 year in jail. We continue to express our condolences to the family of Robert Maraj Nassau County District Attorney’s Office spokesman Brendan Brosh said.
According to prosecutors, Polevich ran over 64-year-old Robert Maraj at the intersection of Rosyln Road and Raff Avenue on February 12, 2021.
Polevich then got out of his white 1992 Volvo, looked at Maraj on the ground, got back in the vehicle and left the scene. At which point he drove to his house and hid the car in his garage under a tarp. Maraj was pronounced dead the next day.
The defendant surrendered to authorities on February 17, 2021.
Polevich’s attorney, Marc Gann, has previously said his client is “repentant for any role he played” in Maraj’s death.
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