NEW YORK CITY – A Long Island driver is accused of killing a gas station manager after allegedly trying to leave without paying for $22 worth of gas, according to the Nassau County Police Department.
“He was trying to ruse them. You know, trying to get that opportunity that he could jet out of there without paying,” Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick said, according to WPIX.
Surveillance video at the Pit Stop gas station on Grand Avenue in South Hempstead showed the last moments of 59-year-old Cemal Dagdieviren’s life.
He was trying to stop the driver from leaving.
“I worked with him 10 years, we worked together. He’s very nice guy,” former coworker Roni Polat said at the gas station Monday afternoon. “He do oil job, mechanic, oil change. He’s very good for customer.”
The early 1990’s Black GMC SUV pulled into the gas station shortly before 7:30 a.m. Monday.
The suspect was acting strangely at the full service pump, so only the $22 was pumped, police said. Even though he had waved a $50 bill, he said he had no money and police said he tried to pay with a fake credit card. When that didn’t work, he tried to flee.
As Dagdieviren tried to stop him, the suspect accelerated the vehicle, killing the married, 59-year-old father of two.
Sandi Aruti lives down the block from the gas station and is a long time customer.
“That somebody had to lose their life because of that is disgusting,” she said.
The vehicle had no license plates and registration, police said. The driver’s side headlight is out and there is front-end damage.
Police described the suspect as over 6 feet tall with a thin build. He is likely in his 30s and wears his hair in long dreadlocks. The driver was last seen wearing black cargo pants, a grey hooded sweatshirt, a bright orange hat and work boots.
The vehicle was last seen going southbound on Grand Avenue.