Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Jatinderpal Singh was indicted on conspiracy, assault, tampering with physical evidence and other charges for a March 2026 hit-and-run collision that nearly killed a 22-year-old woman who was crossing the street. The defendant, an off-duty NYPD officer at the time, allegedly fled the scene without rendering aid to the victim and then attempted to cover it up by ordering his friends, who were passengers in the car, to lie to the police.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, this defendant was sworn to uphold the law and instead showed complete disregard for the rules of the road as he sped through the streets of Queens and struck a pedestrian. He then fled the scene, failed to help the victim and attempted to cover up his alleged actions. There are serious consequences for endangering the lives of pedestrians and my office wishes the victim the very best as she continues to recover from this traumatic incident.”

Singh, 26, of Valley Stream, was arraigned today on a 14-count indictment charging him with assault in the second degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, two counts of tampering with physical evidence, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, conspiracy in the fifth degree, official misconduct, obstructing governmental administration in the second degree, reckless driving, operating a vehicle at unreasonable speed, driving in excess of the maximum speed limit, failing to stop at a steady red signal, failure to exercise due care and failing to stop at a sign. Supreme Court Justice Peter Vallone ordered the defendant to return to court on September 24. If convicted, Singh faces up to seven years in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges and investigation, on March 14, 2026, at approximately 2:03 a.m., Singh, was driving a friend’s black Cadillac Escalade at a high rate of speed in the vicinity of Rockaway Boulevard and 122^nd Place in South Ozone Park when he struck a 22-year-old woman, as she crossed the street.

Singh fled the scene without rendering aid to the woman.

The following day, Singh directed one of the passengers in the car at the time of the collision to have the car repaired in Centereach, Long Island. Photos taken at the repair shop, and later obtained from the vehicle’s owner, show damage to the front body and the front headlight of the vehicle.

Singh never reported the incident to his command or to any other NYPD official, which is standard protocol, but instead instructed a passenger at the time of the incident to delete any photos and videos from his phone showing the defendant driving the vehicle on March 14. Additionally, Singh instructed the passengers to lie to the police and to refuse to cooperate with the investigation.

The victim, who was unconscious after the incident, was rushed to a local hospital. She suffered severe trauma to her head and torso, her spleen was removed and metal rods were placed in her legs.

Singh resigned from the NYPD in May.

Detective Kevin Livingston of the NYPD Highway District Collision Investigation Squad investigated the case under the supervision of Sergeant Robert Dennig and Lieutenant Zebulon Taylor, under the overall supervision of Inspector Connor Winne.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Leann Staines of the District Attorney’s Public Corruption Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Bradley T. King, Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Investigations Division Joseph T. Conley III.