QUEENS, N.Y. — Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Keyah Richardson, 19, of Brooklyn, has been arraigned on multiple charges, including first-degree attempted murder, after allegedly ramming a stolen car into a New York City police officer and endangering pedestrians in North Corona.
Richardson, who resides on Sutter Avenue in Brooklyn, faces a range of charges stemming from the August 18, 2024, incident. These include first-degree attempted murder, attempted assault, assault, reckless endangerment, and several other offenses related to the theft of the vehicle and subsequent actions.
According to the charges, around 5 p.m. on August 18, NYPD officers were investigating a report of a stolen 2020 white Infiniti when they spotted Richardson sitting in a similar vehicle without license plates in front of 34-14 99th Street in North Corona. Richardson then allegedly reversed the car onto the sidewalk, nearly hitting an adult and a young child.
When an NYPD sergeant identified himself and ordered Richardson to stop, Richardson instead drove forward, striking Officer Bartholomew Tully, who had approached the vehicle. Tully was forced to jump onto the hood of an adjacent car to avoid further injury. Richardson then sped off, colliding with multiple parked cars, including two unmarked police vehicles, and drove the wrong way on a one-way street.
Richardson was eventually apprehended on the roof of 38-11 97th Street. Police recovered a diagnostic key programmer and two license plates, tools commonly used in car thefts. Officer Tully was treated at a hospital for substantial pain to his hip, knee, and ankle.
District Attorney Katz commended the swift actions of the NYPD, stating, “This defendant is accused of attempting to murder a New York City police officer with a stolen car and nearly striking an adult and child as he drove on a North Corona sidewalk. Thanks to extraordinary police work, this defendant was arrested before anyone else could be harmed.”
Richardson has been charged with attempted murder in both the first and second degrees, multiple counts of assault, reckless endangerment, grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and other related offenses. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years to life in prison. He is scheduled to return to court on August 23, 2024, before Judge Michael Gaffey.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ryan Licciardello of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau, with support from Assistant District Attorneys Jairo Coronado and Alyssa Glasshagel. The prosecution is supervised by Bureau Chief Michael Whitney, Deputy Bureau Chief Roni Piplani, and Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.
