An NYPD inspector let his girlfriend take a drunken joyride in his police automotive throughout a wild evening out — and tried to cowl up the mess when she crashed right into a yellow cab, prosecutors allege.
Deputy Inspector Paul Zangrilli, 44, was charged by Manhattan prosecutors Thursday over the 2022 drunk driving crash during which his then-gal pal, Nikole Rupple, 35, allegedly smashed right into a cabbie after which zoomed off whereas he was within the passenger seat.
Zangrilli, who made greater than $200,000 in 2022, based on public data, allegedly lied to cowl up the incident — and even requested the proprietor of a Midtown bar to delete surveillance footage in an try to erase the couple’s boozy bender.
The previous lovebirds’ wild evening started when Zangrilli, who led the fifth Precinct in Manhattan, drove Rupple to the American Whiskey bar close to Penn Station round 5:40 p.m. Aug. 15, 2022 — the place the pair slugged down photographs and beers in three hours.
Zangrilli, who has been with the pressure since at the least 2008, tipped again 5 photographs and 7 beers earlier than leaving the bar with Rupple behind the wheel of his NYPD-issued car heading north on Tenth Avenue, based on the indictment.
His date, who had sunk seven photographs and three beers, slammed the automotive into the again of the cab on the intersection of West thirtieth Road and Tenth Avenue, injuring the driving force’s again and neck — earlier than she sped away, prosecutors mentioned.
As a substitute of turning his girlfriend in, Zangrilli allegedly switched seats with the lady and stored driving.
He continued to drive when the cabbie caught as much as them at a crimson mild just a few blocks later and flagged the couple down to a different officer.
Zangrilli then allegedly supplied the cab driver $500 or $1,000 in an effort to dodge exchanging insurance coverage info, based on courtroom papers.
He then referred to as an NYPD captain to the scene and lied, telling the officer he had been driving alone and was on his strategy to work when the crash occurred.
Prosecutors mentioned Zangrilli later went to work and referred to as the proprietor of the watering gap and requested him to delete the surveillance footage.
“This alleged habits was extremely harmful, resulting in accidents for one cab driver and placing the protection of many different drivers and pedestrians in danger. Moreover, this NYPD Deputy Inspector, then a Commanding Officer, allegedly went to nice lengths to cowl up the incident to keep away from duty,” Manhattan District Lawyer Alvin Bragg mentioned in a press release.
Zangrilli, of Rockland County, pleaded not responsible to costs together with falsifying enterprise data, obstruction, official misconduct, ingesting whereas driving and working a motorized vehicle whereas impaired by alcohol.
An NYPD spokesperson mentioned Zangrilli was suspended with out pay.
His legal professional, Eric Franz, didn’t instantly reply to request for remark.
Rupple was additionally charged with drunken driving and pleaded not responsible.
Zangrilli is due again in courtroom on September 25.
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