‘Scoop’ — city seizes and freezes 46 ice cream trucks in $4.5 million ticket scheme

An officer guards an ice cream truck seized by the city Wednesday. Eagle photo by Todd Maisel

By David Brand and Todd Maisel

Angry ice cream truck owners looked on as New York City Sheriff’s Officers seized and impounded 46 of their vehicles for allegedly violating traffic laws and avoiding millions of dollars in fines Wednesday.

The truck owners racked up $4.5 million in unpaid fines between 2009 and 2017 by creating dozens of shell companies to mask their ownership, according to a civil complaint filed by the city. The roughly 22,000 summonses they accrued included violations for running red lights, parking near fire hydrants and blocking pedestrian crosswalks, the city said.

Some trucks even lacked working brakes, officers at the impound lot in Long Island City told the Eagle.  

“No New Yorker is above the law — especially those who try to ignore public safety laws and create dangerous situations for pedestrians, bikers and drivers,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said. “For years, these owners have ignored public safety laws and have driven dangerously in one of the busiest areas of the City. This seizure marks the end of the road for these scofflaw ice cream vendors.” 

Eagle photo by Todd Maisel

Dozens of sheriffs officers in Astoria and Long Island City guarded the familiar vehicles, which were towed from various parts of the city.   

The truck owners repeatedly re-registered the vehicles under the names of different shell companies to deceive the Department of Finance and avoid paying fines, according to the city’s complaint filed in civil court. 

“We all know from common experience that ice cream trucks are magnets for children,” said Corporation Counsel Zachary Carter. “In order to protect this particularly vulnerable category of pedestrians, our traffic laws must be strictly enforced.”

Eagle photo by Todd Maisel