2nd Drunk Driver Hits Patrol Car While Troopers Check 1st: NYSP

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Troopers narrowly escaped injury early Sunday while responding to a crash on the Palisades Parkway, and now two Bronx residents face charges in Stony Point.

At 4:08 a.m., state police responding to a report of a single-car crash found a 2011 Toyota Camry in the eastern median just south of Exit 16 with a rear driver side flat tire and damage to the passenger side.

The driver, later identified as Martin Mbamalu, 27, was standing outside the car and, the troopers said, showed signs of being impaired by alcohol.

While troopers were interviewing him, a car came by, careened into the side of the patrol car and kept traveling south.

The troopers and Mbamalu were not injured.

Shortly afterward, New York State police located a 2009 Nissan Versa broken down near exit 15 with front end damage and the airbags deployed.

The driver, later identified as Rafael Nunez, 35, was still in the car. Troopers immediately offered medical assistance which Nunez declined. They said they concluded Nunez was impaired by alcohol. He was arrested.

Further investigation determined Nunez was driving with a suspended New York driver’s license. He had a blood alcohol concentration (B.A.C). of .18 percent.

Nunez was charged with with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation Impaired by Alcohol, a felony, andAggravated DWI, Criminal Mischief, Reckless Driving, all misdemeanors. He was issued an appearance ticket and vehicle and traffic law tickets returnable to the town of Stony Point Court on Jan. 27.

Martin Mbamalu, the driver in the first crash, was also charged with DWI and issued an appearance ticket returnable to the town of Stony Point Court on Jan. 27.