Police: Man stole truck, hit 2 people in Inwood while drunk

A Far Rockaway man faces a robbery charge after Nassau County police said he stole a truck from a construction site in Inwood. 

Police arrested Yefry Ramirez-Diego, 34, on Saturday morning. He is charged with second-degree robbery, second-degree grand larceny, first-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle, fourth-degree criminal mischief, second-degree reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury, driving while intoxicated, and third-degree reckless driving. Ramirez-Diego's charges stem from an incident that police said occurred at about 1:35 a.m.

Police said he entered a truck that was parked while running near Burnside Avenue and the Nassau Expressway. After Ramirez-Diego drove off, two male employees followed him in a different vehicle, police said. Ramirez-Diego stopped the truck at the corner of Sheridan Boulevard and Nassau Avenue, then the employees drove in front of the truck, police said. 

The employees tried, but were unable, to pull Ramirez-Diego out of the truck, police said. Ramirez-Diego then drove the truck forward and struck one of the employees in the arm, police said. Ramirez-Diego continued driving west on Sheridan Avenue, then he lost control of the truck and hit a fence, police said. He also hit a 42-year-old male pedestrian on Carvel Place, and a parked 2015 Nissan Altima, police said. 

Police said Ramirez-Diego left the truck and tried to flee, but NYPD officers caught him. Authorities said Ramirez-Diego was drunk while driving the truck.

The employee hit in the arm declined medical attention and the passerby was taken to a hospital and treated for hip and abdominal pain, police said. 

Ramirez-Diego is scheduled to be arraigned Sunday at First District Court in Hempstead.