See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.
By Will Bredderman
Brooklyn Daily
The drunk drivers who allegedly ran down four other revelers early on New Year’s Day outside a controversial Ridge nightclub won’t get off easy, says Brooklyn’s top lawman.
Borough district attorney Charles Hynes told the Bay Ridge Community Council on Jan. 26 that he would not accept a plea bargain from Charles Amado, who cops accuse of mowing down four fellow party-goers on the sidewalk outside Ridge club 93 Lounge, or his girlfriend Andrea Jobity, who they claim took the wheel and plowed into several nearby cars while attempting to flee the scene.
“I have their file marked ‘no plea,’” said Hynes, adding that he plans to throw the book at the pair. “When we convict them, we are going to send them to jail for a very, very long time.”
Hynes — who is up for re-election in November — announced the couple’s indictment on Jan. 25, charging Amado with four counts of attempted second-degree murder, first-degree vehicular assault, and driving while intoxicated. Jobity, who has a previous conviction for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, stands accused of driving while intoxicated.
The couple’s attorney is pleading self-defense, alleging that his clients were trying to escape a gang of goons carrying pipes and bottles.
The four victims all received treatment at Lutheran Medical Center — Luis Rodriguez for brain trauma, a fractured pelvis, and a fractured leg, Besim Perazic for abrasions to his head, knees, and knuckles, Ashley Encalada for a fractured ankle, and Vanessa Encalada for a laceration to the head. Rodriguez remains in the hospital nearly a month later, in stable condition.
Neighbors have long complained of violence and illegal activity at 93 Lounge, and councilman Vincent Gentile (D-Bay Ridge) and state senator Marty Golden (R-Bay Ridge) both vowed after the Jan. 1 incident to shut the club down — a promise Golden repeated on Jan. 26 at the Bay Ridge Community Council annual luncheon.
“It’s a bad place and it causes nothing but problems,” said Golden.
Reach reporter Will Bredderman at wbredderman@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4507. Follow him at twitter.com/WillBredderman.