Police Arrest Suspect Who Allegedly Carjacked And Killed Local Business Owner

Police have arrested the suspect who allegedly ran over and killed local business owner Phil Dellegrazie in a frantic car chase which took place Monday, April 4.

Police have charged 24-year-old Joshua Colon with second degree murder, robbery, and grand larceny. CBS New York reported that Colon was awaiting his court appearance on Monday night.

Cops say they were able to attain an image of the suspect from a security camera on 22nd Street which showed Colon fleeing the scene. He was caught later in the day near the intersection of 5th Avenue and 15th Street.

63-year-old Dellegrazie, owner of A & D Iron Works (305 24th Street between 4th and 5th Avenues), was loading materials into his truck when the suspect jumped into the vehicle and sped away, according to CBS New York.

The victim got into his black SUV, and chased the suspect towards 4th Avenue. Once the two vehicles were stuck in traffic, Dellegrazie got out of his car in order to confront the suspect.

The New York Post reports “the victim ran up to the truck and was trying to pull the perp out of it when he was pushed to the ground, sources said. The suspect then gunned it, running over and killing the man…”

The suspect then began to flee the scene, taking a wrong-way right turn onto 22nd Street, driving towards 5th Avenue.

A crowd of neighbors and local workers gathered across the street under the awning of Jurek Park Slope Funeral Home (728 4th Avenue) as a steady rain came down. Neighbor Tony Santana said he has known Dellegrazie for 25 years. “You see all of those gates across the street over there? Phil worked on all of them. He’s done so much for the neighborhood,” said Santana.

A crowd of neighbors and local workers vocally agreed with Santana.

“This is just awful. Please say nice things about him. People need to know how good a man he was,” he said.

Update, 2:30pm: Police say Colon was arrested at approximately 9:00pm Monday night.