What to Know
- Police say they've identified the suspect in the hit-and-run death of a gas station attendant in South Hempstead, Long Island
- Joshua E. Roston, 33, of Baldwin, is being sought by police
- The victim, a Turkish immigrant and father of two who worked at the station for 25 years, was 59 years old
Police say they've identified the driver suspected of mowing down and killing a gas station manager on Long Island in his attempt to get away after stealing $22 worth of gas on Monday morning.
Nassau County police say they're looking for 33-year-old Joshua E. Roston of Baldwin in the hit-and-run death of 59-year-old Cemal Dagdeviren of Levittown. The black GMC Suburban involved -- which already had front-end damage on it when it arrived, and had no plate or registration at the time -- has been recovered and is in the possession of police.
"We want his face all over, because we want him arrested and brought into NCPD," a Nassau police official said in a news conference Thursday. "He is armed and dangerous. We want you to make sure that if you encounter him, you can contact your local police."
Dagdeviren, a Turkish immigrant and father of two who'd worked at Pit Stop gas station in South Hempstead for 25 years -- had just pumped $21 worth of gas into the SUV and was trying to collect payment when the driver got into the car and tried to take off.
Surveillance video shows Dagevrien trying to block the driver from leaving. The driver mowed him down as he fled.
"He senselessly ran an individual over who was in front of his vehicle," police said. "He knew what he was doing when he stepped on the gas and crushed that man’s life and his family’s life."
Longtime customers said Dagdeviren was a reliable mechanic and friendly face who made their days a little better.
"This individual, for $21, ruined a family's life," said police. "Took an individual's life at 59 years of age for $21. Everybody should be as upset as we are about this, and do what we need to do to bring him into justice at NCPD. We won't stop pursuing."
Police believe Roston, who has been arrested four times in the past four years on accusations of shoplifting, stealing gas, and stripping autos, has left the state.
A $10,000 reward was being offered to help bring Dagdeviren's killer to justice.
