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On Friday, May 6, the driver responsible for the demise of Nicki Minaj's father pleaded guilty to the hit-and-run case. In February last year, the offender, Charles Polevich, hit Robert Maraj with his car and killed him.
In the court, the culprit was charged with a felony for leaving the scene of the accident. However, he was also charged with tampering with physical evidence. At the time, Polevich, who had initially stopped and noticed that Maraj was critically injured, fled the scene.
The Guam native later surrendered and was charged by the Nassau County Police Department. At the time, Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick addressed the case in a press conference. He said:
"He (Polevich) got out of the car, looked at the deceased, got into his car, and made the conscious decision to leave instead of dialing 911 and calling an ambulance for the man. He went home and secreted his vehicle."
What is known about Charles Polevich, who admittedly killed Nicki Minaj's father in a hit-and-run?
On February 12, 2021, Polevich struck Nicki Minaj's father Robert Maraj with his 1992 Volvo Station Wagon as the latter was walking around Roslyn Road and Raff Avenue in Long Island at approximately 6.00 PM. Following the accident, Polevich fled the scene but surrendered to the police about five days later, when he was charged with fleeing the location of the accident and more.
According to the WABC ABC NY 7, Polevich had no records of prior accidents as per his driving license records. The man reportedly lives in Guam, a U.S. island territory in Micronesia, and also has a house in Mineola, Nassau County, on Long Island.
This would explain what the individual was doing at the location of the accident. While not much is known about Charles Polevich, PEOPLE claimed that the individual is 71. Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj's father Robert Maraj was 64 at the time of his demise.
Charges against Charles Polevich for killing Nicki Minaj's father
He has been charged with one felony count for leaving the scene and another count for his attempt to hide evidence. At the time, Nassau County Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick said Polevich had used a tarp to cover his car in an attempt to hide it once he reached home.
According to the laws of New York State, a person who is guilty of a hit-and-run case can be fined up to $5,000 (if there are injuries) with revocation of license for a year.
Furthermore, the penalty for leaving the scene of an accident before the police arrive can result in a sentence of up to one year in jail. In cases of fatalities in an accident, the misdemeanor charge becomes a felony, and the culprit can be sentenced to seven years in prison.
However, Nassau County Judge Howard Sturim revealed that he would be sentencing the culprit to less than a year in jail, followed by a permanent suspension of his license.
Charles Polevich would also have to serve community service following his incarceration. It seems that the leniency in the sentence might have been due to Polevich's advanced age.
The official sentencing is due on August 3. Meanwhile, Robert Maraj's widow and Nicki Minaj's mother, Carole, has sued Polevich for $150 million in a civil lawsuit, which is on track for next month.
