Queens Man Indicted for Murder After Dragging Pedestrian Gary Charlotin to Death in Shocking Hit-and-Run Horror
QUEENS VILLAGE, NY — In a deeply disturbing case that has shocked the Queens community, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the indictment of 49-year-old Warren Rollins for a gruesome sequence of events that led to the death of 63-year-old pedestrian Gary Charlotin. The grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Rollins with second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting.
The fatal incident occurred on the night of December 10, 2023, at approximately 8:05 p.m., on Hempstead Avenue near 220th Street in the Queens Village neighborhood. According to authorities and eyewitness reports, Charlotin had attempted to cross mid-block when he was first struck by a Toyota Camry, allegedly driven by Osman Zavala-Varela, 38, of Hempstead. The impact from the initial collision flung Charlotin into the eastbound lanes of Hempstead Avenue, where he lay prone on the roadway.
It was then that Rollins, driving a Chevrolet Traverse, came into the scene and drove directly over the injured Charlotin. Shockingly, Rollins allegedly brought his vehicle to a full stop after the impact. Multiple pedestrians rushed to the vehicle and alerted Rollins that someone was pinned underneath. Witnesses pleaded with him not to move his car.
Despite those pleas, authorities say that more than two minutes later, Rollins sped away from the scene, dragging Charlotin’s body for several thousand feet—a harrowing act that occurred while the victim was still alive. Charlotin was eventually dislodged near the Cross Island Parkway overpass, where passersby discovered him. Emergency responders arrived shortly after, but despite efforts to save him, Charlotin was pronounced dead at the scene.
District Attorney Katz delivered a scathing rebuke of Rollins’ actions during a press briefing:
“This was a horrific death for the victim. As alleged, pedestrian Gary Charlotin was hit by a car while trying to cross Hempstead Avenue and thrown into the opposite traffic lane. The defendant then allegedly drove over the victim, stopped for more than two minutes and then proceeded to speed away from the scene while dragging the victim’s body, while the victim was still alive. The conduct displayed that evening demonstrates a complete disregard for human life.”
The NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad, working in collaboration with the Queens District Attorney’s Office, conducted an intensive investigation that included reviewing surveillance footage, tracking down both vehicles, and performing DNA testing on the Chevrolet Traverse. The case culminated in a grand jury vote to indict Rollins, who subsequently surrendered to authorities on June 3, 2025.
Rollins, a resident of Pine Street in Elmont, was arraigned before Supreme Court Justice Michael Hartofilis, who ordered him held pending his next court appearance on July 17, 2025. If convicted of the top count—second-degree murder—Rollins faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
Meanwhile, Osman Zavala-Varela, the alleged driver of the Toyota Camry involved in the initial strike, has also been charged in a separate indictment. He faces counts of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting and tampering with physical evidence. Zavala-Varela is scheduled to return to court on July 10.
The prosecution is being led by Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Selkowe, Unit Chief of the District Attorney’s Vehicular Homicide Unit and Deputy Chief of the Homicide Bureau, alongside Assistant District Attorney Vivian Gonzalez, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney John Kosinski and Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.
As this case progresses through the court system, community members and advocates for pedestrian safety are watching closely, expressing both grief for Charlotin’s tragic death and outrage at the egregious actions allegedly committed by both drivers.