LI Man Pleads Guilty In Hit-And-Run Death Of Nicki Minaj's Father

MINEOLA, NY — A Nassau County judge plans to sentence the man who killed Nicki Minaj's father in a hit-and-run crash to no more than one year behind bars, according to officials.

A district attorney spokesperson told Patch on Friday that Judge Howard Sturim is committed to handing down that sentence to Charles Polevich, along with community service and suspension of his driver's license.

Polevich, 71, of Mineola, has pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an auto accident with a fatality and tampering with evidence in connection to the hit-and-run death of the rapper's father, 64-year-old Robert Maraj.

In February 2021, Maraj was walking along Roslyn Road in Mineola when Polevich struck him with his car.

Polevich, who splits his time between Mineola and Guam, asked Maraj if "he was ok" as he lay on the road, before getting back in his car and leaving the scene, court records show.

Maraj was eventually taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Detectives eventually tracked down Polevich — who did not have any prior criminal history — using pieces of surveillance video from the neighborhood that caught his Volvo before and after it struck Maraj, authorities said.

At the time of his arrest, Nassau County Det. Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick said Polevich "was absolutely aware" that he hit Maraj.

"He got out of his car and looked at (Maraj), and got into his car and made the conscious decision to leave, instead of calling 911, instead of calling an ambulance for the man," Fitzpatrick said.

For the top count, Polevich faces up to seven years behind bars. But after hearing the judge's plans, Maraj's widow is speaking out.

"I'm not happy with that ... one year in jail. I'm not happy with that," Carol Maraj said after Friday's plea hearing, according to Newsday.

Maraj's widow, who lives in Baldwin, told the media outlet that seeing Polevich in court made her emotional.

"I was angry, very, very angry," she said. "I started to shake because it brought back all the memories of that night when I was sitting in the hospital."

Polevich is scheduled back in court for sentencing on Aug. 3.