Man Who Crashed Car into Cop May Get Plea Deal on Attempted Murder

Muhammad Ali (second from right) is accused of crashing his car into a police officer and crushing his leg appeared in Queens Criminal Court Monday. Eagle photo by David Brand.

By David Brand

A man charged with attempted murder for crushing the legs of a police officer with his car may get a slight reprieve on a plea deal.

Last year, a Queens jury was split on convicting Muhammad Ali for the slew of charges he faced for crashing into a Nassau County police officer in Jamaica Estates in 2014. The officer was part of a team attempting to arrest Ali for an earlier robbery in Hicksville.

On Monday, Ali, 25, appeared in Queens Supreme Court for a hearing before Justice Kenneth Holder to discuss the remaining charges, which include two counts of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree aggravated assault and first-degree attempted assault.

The District Attorney’s office offered Ali a plea deal of 15 years to run concurrently with his existing sentence. During a sidebar, Holder recommended that the prosecutor offer a 10-year deal.

The assistant district attorney said she would share that guidance with her supervisors.

Alternately speaking on his own behalf and conferring with his attorney Lori Golombek, Ali said he would like more time to think about the offer.

“A guilty plea is something you have to think about,” Ali said. “I fought this because I’m saying I’m not guilty … I have to do what I have to do to reduce my time.”

Holder told him he had until his Jan. 3 return date to make a decision. If Ali declines the deal, Holder said he would adjourn the case and proceed to trial.

“The train is moving forward,” Holder said. “Maybe the DA will come with a gift.”