Police apprehended the man believed to have been behind the wheel of a speeding BMW that slammed into a livery cab in Williamsburg, killing a husband, his pregnant wife, and their pre-term baby.
Cops cuffed Julio Acevedo, 44, in Pennsylvania on Wednesday — three days after the suspect allegedly slammed into a Toyota taking newlyweds Nathan and Raizy Glauberl, both 21, to the hospital because the expectant mother wasn’t feeling well.
The Glaubers were pronounced dead at different hospitals, but doctors managed to deliver Raizy’s premature baby boy by Cesarean section. The child died the following day.
The driver of the cab was also injured and is in stable condition at Bellevue Hospital.
Police say Acevedo — who has a lengthy criminal record including a 1987 manslaughter conviction, drug charges, and a drunk-driving bust last month, according to the New York Post — and another individual fled from the wrecked car at the corner of Wilson Street on foot.
Authorities plan to extradite Acevedo as of press time.
The day before his arrest, the suspect gave an interview to the Daily News in which he said he was ready to turn himself in, and claimed he was speeding and fled the scene of the crash because someone had fired shots at him.
Orthodox Jewish community leader Isaac Abraham said the young family’s deaths stunned the borough’s Hasidic community.
“Everyone is in shock,” said Abraham “I don’t think it’s just this community. The whole city and nation is in shock.”
Abraham said he will withhold total judgement on Acevedo until after a trial, but he has one message for the suspect.
“When you walk away from a scene like this, you are nothing more than a coward,” the one-time Council candidate said.
Hasidic Jews flocked to the streets for an emotional funeral on Sunday, and the neighborhood’s Shomrim security force offered assistance hunting for the suspect.
After false reports of Acevedo’s arrest, a group of Hasidic men gathered outside Williamsburg’s 90th Precinct to confront the man they hold responsible for the collision.
“It’s not going to bring them back, but I want to see him,” said Lipa Weber. “It’s a tragedy.”
Abraham said there would not be a funeral for the baby, since he was too young to have a funeral under Orthodox Jewish tradition.
Reach reporter Danielle Furfaro at dfurfaro@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-2511. Follow her at twitter.com/DanielleFurfaro.
