A 71-year-old man was arrested for allegedly driving his car onto a sidewalk filled with special-needs children boarding a bus outside of PS 222 in Marine Park on Oct. 9.
Witnesses say Louis Perilli unleashed a torrent of profanity before driving up over the curb and striking a woman — breaking her arm — after she selflessly pushed a mother with a baby carriage out of harm’s way, according to a spokesman for District Attorney Charles Hynes.
Several witnesses told police that they were outside the school between E. 33rd and E. 34th streets at 2:40 pm moving the kids off of the sidewalk and onto the bus, when Perilli launched into a temper tantrum inside his 2012 Hyundai Genesis, which was two cars behind the school bus at the time.
Eventually, Perilli stepped out of his vehicle and launched into a tirade littered with four-letter words, according to witnesses, which he directed at the at the school staff whose only offense was trying to get their elementary-aged charges home safe and sound.
“I don’t care if they are special needs children,” Perilli allegedly barked. “Move the f—— bus.”
That’s when witnesses say Perilli got back into his car, backed up a few feet, and jumped the curb in order to maneuver around the bus — on the crowded sidewalk — sending special-needs students, faculty, and other hapless pedestrians scrambling to avoid his 4,000-pound sedan.
As Perilli careened aroundf the bus, para-professional Lisa Marie Centeno had to shove another woman — who was pushing her infant in a stroller — out of the car’s path, likely saving their lives.
Centeno then planted herself in front of Perilli’s car, urging him to stop, only to have her arm fractured as he plowed into her, according to court documents.
After driving through the crowd beside the bus, Perilli then drove another half a block down the sidewalk before jumping the curb back onto the street and fleeing, according to a DA spokesman.
Witnesses at the scene were able to get Perilli’s license plate number, and cops arrested him at a nearby barber shop where he worked.
Perilli was charged on several counts, including reckless driving, vehicular assault, leaving the scene of an accident, and improperly passing a school bus.
His lawyer did not return a call for comment.
