Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Man Hit By Cop Car Receives Bill From City To Pay For Repairs
By
John Del Signore
Published Nov 12, 2012
Modified Nov 12, 2012
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 Nov 12, 2012
Modified Nov 12, 2012
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
Please be aware that if you damage city property, say by getting run over by a cop car, you can expect to receive a bill in the mail to cover the damages. This was the lesson learned by 25-year-old Jesse Zorski, who foolishly damaged a cop car when he got in its way at the intersection of Centre Street and White Street in April. The Daily News reports that the vehicle "struck his left leg, then he smashed into the side-view mirror and hit the ground, landing on his wrist." Naturally, lawyers for the city are very concerned about that mirror...
Not long after Zorski's mother sued the city to cover the $1,200 cost of the ambulance ride and the hospital, they received a bill in the mail from attorneys hired by the city to collect $1,028.08. That's how much it supposedly cost to make repairs to the NYPD cruiser that Zorski damaged with his body. (Zorski, who is hearing impaired, insists he had the right of way, and that neither his hearing aid nor the two beers he had consumed contributed to the accident.) "It does seem that when they realized we were going to sue they sent us the bill,” Zorski tells the tabloid.
In a rare admission of guilt, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne concedes, "The letter should not have been sent. We’re examining safeguards to make sure similar letters are not sent in the future." The city Law Department has also instructed the outside law firm that sent the bill to drop the case. But this isn't the first time city lawyers have tried to make victims pay for the NYPD's mistakes—last month the mother of a 27-year-old Bronx man who was fatally struck by a police car received a $710 bill to repair the car that killed him.
And it goes without saying that if your face happens to get in the way of a cop's fist and he hurts his wrist, you'll also be held accountable.
Tagged
Jesse Zorski
lawsuits
nypd
stupid things
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
Pressure grows on Mamdani to reform admissions to NYC specialized high schools
A former top-school official will join councilmembers and other prominent educators at an event focused on specialized high schools.
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 26, 2026 at 4:03 p.m. ET
Police search for man in Central Park sexual assault
A 39-year-old woman was attacked near East 66th Street and Fifth Avenue on Saturday night, police said. No arrests had been made as of Monday.
By
Charles Lane
News
Police search for man in Central Park sexual assault
A 39-year-old woman was attacked near East 66th Street and Fifth Avenue on Saturday night, police said. No arrests had been made as of Monday.
By
Charles Lane
Rockefeller Center's 2026 Christmas tree is a 76-foot spruce from Upstate New York
By
Giulia Heyward
‘A killer cop lives here’: Brooklyn arrests raise questions about limits of free speech
By
Ben Feuerherd
What to expect and avoid in NYC’s Halloween, voting, marathon and daylight saving weekend
By
Catalina Gonella
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 .