A New York state trooper was struck by a stolen car that reversed into him on the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge on Sunday and he fired his weapon multiple times as the driver took off, police sources said.
The owner of the 2021 Acura reported it missing Saturday and was tracking it through an app when he saw that the vehicle was in the Bronx moving toward the bridge, law enforcement sources said. The owner, who was in another vehicle, followed his car and alerted the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, which called the state police.
When police from both agencies converged on the stolen car around 12:50 p.m., the driver attempted to back up and rammed into the trooper, the sources said. That’s when the trooper squeezed off multiple rounds, striking no one, the sources said.
The trooper was taken to a local hospital for minor injuries to his leg, police said.
The driver of the stolen vehicle fled in it but was later found in Harlem, police sources said.
A 17-year-old and a 21-year-old were taken into custody and charges against them were pending.
The teen, whose identity wasn’t released because of his age, was recently arrested in Manhattan for operating a stolen vehicle recklessly, police sources said.
The other person in the car was identified as Josue Viorato, who was arrested for stealing a new BMW on Nov. 8, the sources said.
In the prior case, the owner tracked the car from Queens to Brooklyn. Viorato also allegedly tried to run over a police officer when cops caught up to him that time, the sources said.
He’s expected to appear in court on that case on Jan. 19, 2022.
