Cuffed teach to sue in ID fiasco
A LAW-ABIDING Bronx teacher is taking the first step toward legal action against the NYPD for repeatedly detaining him instead of a criminal with the same name.
The first time Robert Colon was arrested over 10 years ago for an unpaid $1,000 fine from 1992, he thought the matter was cleared up.
But in August, he was stopped againwhile driving to pick up food for his infant daughter.
“One Hispanic and two Caucasian officers all drew their guns as they approached the car and arrested me,” said Colon, 54.
He was held in the 45th Precinct station house for 18 hours in a filthy holding cell as he pleaded with officers that they had the wrong guy.
“I asked them to take my prints, they didn't,” said Colon as his eyes welled up.
Colon’s wife rushed to the stationhouse with proper identification documents to prove the police cuffed the wrong man, but to no avail.
“They showed the other Robert Colon on an app on their phone to my wife. We look nothing alike,” said Colon.
He was released by a judge the next day.
The felon Robert Colon is a career criminal who was supposed to pay $1,000 as a part of a plea bargain for a drug distribution case.
The teacher’s lawyer Jay Schwitzman said he’ll file a notice of claim against the city and NYPD for wrongful arrest. A rep for the city Law Department said they will review it when it is filed.