Police release video showing the moments before a man was struck and killed by an SUV at a gas station in New York
Raw video: Surveillance camera captures the moments before a gas station attendant in South Hempstead, New York was struck and killed by a driver who allegedly refused to pay for gas.
Cemal Dagdeviren was killed over $22.
Authorities launched a dragnet Tuesday for a driver captured on surveillance video mowing down a 59-year-old New York gas station manager in order to flee the station without paying for fuel.
Dagdeviren was pronounced dead Monday after he was struck by an SUV outside the Pit Stop station, where he was the manager, in South Hempstead on Long Island, Newsday reported. Dagdeviren stepped in front of the vehicle after the driver's attempt to pay for gas with a fake credit card failed.
“He attempts to steal $22 worth of fuel,” Det Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick in a news conference. “He then goes to exit the gas station. One of the managers of this gas station stepped in front of the vehicle, tried to stop him from leaving. This male then intentionally ran this male victim over, causing his death.”
Police are hunting for a man who struck and killed a gas station manager attempting to stop the driver from leaving the scene. (Nassau County Police department)
The driver, described as a man in his 30s with a thin build, pulled up to the gas station just after 7:20 a.m. and asked the gas attendant to fill up his tank. The attendant, however, grew suspicious after noticing the vehicle didn’t have license plates or registration and inspection stickers, police said.
The attendant then asked the driver to pay for his $22 bill inside the station’s office, Newsday reported. The driver attempted to pay for the bill with a fake credit card before admitting he didn’t have enough money and flashing what appeared to be a $50 bill.
“When it became apparent that he did not have any money or did not have any means to pay for the fuel, he tried to get out and make his way into the car and flee out of there,” Fitzpatrick said. “This male accelerates and then runs over our victim, causing his death.”
Surveillance video showed Dagdeviren attempting to stop the driver and placing his hands on the hood of the vehicle before being run over.
Dagdeviren was taken to the hospital where he later died.
Anyone with information is urged to call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 800-244-8477.
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