Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Dead Man Parking: Traffic Cop Tickets Corpse
By
John Del Signore
Published Sep 16, 2010
Modified Sep 16, 2010
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 .
By
John Del Signore
Published Sep 16, 2010
Modified Sep 16, 2010
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
Not even the sweet release of death can liberate you from New York's relentless parking ticket blitz. Early Tuesday morning a traffic cop came across Nicholas Rappold, 21, of Flushing, who was slumped across the front seat of his Jeep Cherokee on 165th Street near 35th Avenue. Rappold was dead, but just because you've gone to your eternal resting place doesn't mean you can park it wherever you want. Dying drivers should really know this by now.
Rappold was issued a summons for illegally parking during street sweeping hours, and the officer moved on to find other stiffs to screw. Hours earlier, Rappold had been visiting a friend, and had left late Monday night. When his pal later noticed the Jeep Cherokee still parked out front, he became concerned and went to check on Rappold, discovering his cold corpse. Rappold's family believes he died from a drug overdose, but the cause of death has not been officially determined.
"It's really messed up," Rappold's cousin Patrick Hill tells the Daily News. "While he was dead in his car, a New York City traffic agent gave him a ticket. She could have at least knocked on the window to see if he was all right." Investigators interviewed the traffic agent but found no wrongdoing, and a source tells the tabloid, "He had heavily tinted windows." But in the end, Rappold actually got lucky, because the police have voided his parking summons!
Tagged
corpse
nypd
parking ticket
queens
John Del Signore
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
Better days ahead for NYC commuters with Democrats in control of Congress, MTA chair says
Republicans’ “anti-city” agenda was rejected by voters, MTA Chair Janno Lieber said.
By
Stephen Nessen
and
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published Nov 5, 2026 at 5:59 p.m. ET
$20 rent-control cap coming to Elizabeth, New Jersey
Voters approved the annual limit in this week's election.
By
Michael Sol Warren
News
$20 rent-control cap coming to Elizabeth, New Jersey
Voters approved the annual limit in this week's election.
By
Michael Sol Warren
Feds accuse former FBI agent of Brooklyn hit and run, leaving victim on a bench
By
Charles Lane
Battery found at deadly Sunset Park fire days after similar blaze in Bronx
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Inside New York's bitter Republican civil war after blue wave
By
Walter Wuthmann
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 .