New York Daily News

B’klyn man locked up in hookah bar shoot charged with fatal hit-run in Lamborghin­i

- BY ELIZABETH KEOGH

NYPD detectives searching for the hit-and-run driver of a Lamborghin­i SUV who killed an Uber passenger on Christmas Eve say they found their suspect — and he was already at Rikers Island on charges of shooting five people in a hookah bar.

Jason Liriano, 23, was charged with criminally negligent homicide and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death for crashing his fancy SUV into an Uber in Queens carrying Ritawantee Persaud, officials said.

Detectives were able to find DNA in the luxury ride that belonged to Liriano, police said.

The Cypress Hills, Brooklyn, resident wasn’t hard to find. By the time the DNA match was confirmed he was in custody on five counts of attempted murder for a wild late-night shooting on March 13 at a popup hookah parlor in Williamsbu­rg, according to police sources and jail records.

Liriano allegedly shot four of the victims in the leg, with the fifth taking a bullet to the left foot. All five victims survived.

“All you hear is people screaming. The next thing the guy came out. He’s walking, he had a gun. He’s backing up and then he started shooting. Blam!” a witness told the Daily News.

Liriano was arrested for the shooting on April 1, cops said.

He now awaits arraignmen­t in Queens for the

Christmas Eve crash that killed Persaud, 54.

Her friends told The News she had not planned to attend any holiday parties due to her concerns about coronaviru­s but at the last minute decided to attend a small gathering.

She was in the back of a Toyota Corolla on her way to a party as her driver made a left turn from Rockaway Blvd. onto 103rd Ave. when Liriano allegedly slammed into them.

Liriano took off on foot, abandoning his Lambo and his victims, cops said.

The Uber driver and a passenger in the Lamborghin­i were treated at Jamaica Hospital for their injuries.

 ?? ?? Lamborghin­i allegedly driven by Jason Liriano smashed into Uber in Queens, killing Ritawantee Persaud on Christmas Eve.
Lamborghin­i allegedly driven by Jason Liriano smashed into Uber in Queens, killing Ritawantee Persaud on Christmas Eve.

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