Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

Bronx Cop Hits Pregnant Woman's Car, Drives Away


By

John Del Signore

Published Oct 14, 2009

Modified Oct 14, 2009


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

Witness Julio Llerandez, crash victim Sanija Kurtovic, and Officer Shirley Perez-Romero, the cop accused of sideswiping her.

 


By

John Del Signore

Published Oct 14, 2009

Modified Oct 14, 2009


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Bronx resident Sanija Kurtovic is eight months pregnant, and she got quite a scare the other day when her parked car was sideswiped as she was about to get out. But what's even scarier is that the vehicle that hit her was an NYPD cruiser, and the driver allegedly fled the scene. Kurtovic says that after her car was hit, she ran up to Officer Shirley Perez-Romero, who was stopped at a red light. But the cop allegedly played dumb, acting as if she didn't realize an accident had occured. Kurtovic says the officer told her she would do a U-turn and file a report, but instead Officer Perez-Romero just drove off.

Kurtovic didn't take the plate number because she "automatically assumed she's a cop, she's going to do the right thing." But bystander Julio Llerandez (who, if you watch the video, you'll see is basically THE MAN) saw it all happen, telling Fox, "I got everything. I got the plate number, the precinct, I seen a female driving it." Llerandez even went with Kurtovic to file a police report with the 49th precinct, explaining, "I feel bad for her. She's pregnant. Could have been my mother."

Now Kurtovic's lawyer says she's suing the NYPD and the city. An NYPD spokesman denies the hit-and-run, insisting that a supervisor responded to the scene and immediately conducted an investigation, and Officer Perez-Romero may face disciplinary action. Fox stalked the cop in their exclusive segment, but unlike her Pluto-loving colleague on Long Island, she had the good sense not to comment. Check out the video below, and be sure to stay tuned for the 1:30 mark, when our new personal hero Julio Llerandez makes his cameo.

Tagged

accident

bronx

cop

female

hit and run

julio lorendez

mom

nypd

pregnant

woman


John Del Signore

Twitter

Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

Central Park birders, others remember 63-year-old woman killed in park

People who said they knew her described her as an artist and a familiar presence in the Ramble.

By

Charles Lane

Published Sep 28, 2026 at 7:04 p.m. ET


Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says

It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.

By

Liam Quigley

News

Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says

It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.

By

Liam Quigley


New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ

By

Arya Sundaram

A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.

By

Samantha Max

Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910

By

Michael Sol Warren


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .