Nicki Minaj's mom sues driver charged in husband's hit-run death

Rapper Nicki Minaj's mother, Carol Maraj, filed a $150 million lawsuit against the Mineola man accused of killing Minaj's father in a hit-and-run last month, an attorney for Maraj said.

Charles Polevich, of Mineola, allegedly hit the rapper's dad and Maraj's husband, Robert Maraj, 64, in Mineola on the evening of Feb. 12. Robert Maraj was walking in the roadway on Roslyn Road at Raff Avenue, authorities said.

Polevich, 70, who was driving a 1992 white Volvo station wagon, faces felony charges of leaving the scene of a fatal crash and tampering with physical evidence, according to authorities.

The lawsuit, filed in state Supreme Court of Nassau County earlier this month, claims that Polevich was negligent, reckless and careless when he hit Robert Maraj of Baldwin with his car and allegedly left him at the scene. The suit claims that those actions have led to Carol Maraj facing economic losses and incurring various expenses, among other damages.

"He was not only irresponsible and negligent, but more concerned about running away and hiding than seeking help," said Benjamin Crump, one of the attorneys representing Carol Maraj, in an Instagram post Friday. The other attorney named in the suit as her representative is Joseph P. Napoli of the Napoli Shkolnik firm, which has an office in Melville.

Calls to the attorneys' offices on Saturday were not returned.

A telephone message left Saturday with Polevich's attorney, listed in online court records as Marc Gann of Mineola, was not immediately returned.

Police believe that Robert Maraj was either walking home or going to a nearby store at the time of the crash. He died at a hospital hours after the crash, authorities said.

"Polevich's behavior was criminal, cowardly, and immoral. We will hold him responsible for his reckless actions that led to Robert Maraj's death!" Crump said in the Instagram post.

After hitting Robert Maraj, Polevich stopped at first but then left the scene after seeing the injuries he caused, police said. A felony complaint also said Polevich stood over Maraj and asked him if "he was OK" before returning to his car and leaving the area.

Police used video surveillance recordings in the neighborhood to locate Polevich.

Polevich posted bail and was released after pleading not guilty at his arraignment. His bail was set at $250,000 bond or $125,000 cash and he was ordered to surrender his passport and stay in New York State. His driver's license also was suspended.

Carol Maraj, the victim’s estranged wife, told Newsday last month after Polevich was caught that her family was relieved by the progress in the case. "I’m very, very, very happy about the arrest," she said, adding that all of Maraj’s children "are pleased" that the alleged culprit in their father’s death was caught.

With Bridget Murphy