An East New York man who dragged a woman from her car in Mill Basin before taking off with her poodle has been indicted on robbery and assault charges, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office announced Friday.
The 73-year-old woman was sitting in her Honda on the afternoon of June 6 when, the DA alleges, 21-year-old Kamani Romain approached her car, opened the door, and punched her before dragging her out of the car onto the street. He then took off in the car with the woman’s 9-year-old therapy poodle Luna, along with items such as her ID and credit card.
The woman, whose identity was not released by the DA’s office, sustained minor swelling and lacerations and was taken to Brookdale Hospital for treatment.
The car was found in Williamsburg four days later on June 10. DNA was recovered from a cigarette butt, water bottle, and iPhone found in the car, which the DA said belongs to Romain. Luna was found in East Flatbush on June 13, and was reunited with her family. Romain was arrested in September.
“Thankfully this woman and her beloved dog were reunited following their frightening alleged encounter with the defendant,” Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. “Luckily, the victim did not sustain more serious injuries, despite allegedly being brutally dragged from her car.”
Bail was not set at Romain’s arraignment hearing Friday, but a spokesperson for the Brooklyn DA said that he was being held on bail for a separate case in Manhattan. He is due back in court for the Mill Basin case on Nov. 23.
