According to her attorney, Nicki Minaj’s mother, Carol Maraj, has filed a lawsuit against the man accused of killing Minaj’s father, Robert Maraj, in a hit-and-run. The Nicki Minaj family lawsuit was filed as a $150m wrongful death claim in the New York Supreme Court.
Charles Polevich, 70, was accused of hitting the rapper’s father on February 12th on Long Island. The driver allegedly drove away without any attempt to call 911. Robert Maraj, 64, later died in hospital the next day.
By the time Maraj arrived at the hospital, he was already in a critical condition. Polevich was arrested on February 17th and charged with both leaving the scene of the accident and tampering with police evidence. He allegedly parked his 1992 Volvo station wagon in a detached garage to attempt to conceal it.
Polevich pleaded not guilty and was freed on bail, but ordered to remain in the state of New York until the results of the case were processed.
Nicki Minaj’s family lawsuit was later filed in early March on the grounds that the accused was negligent, reckless, and careless while driving and then left Robert Maraj at the scene.
Polvevich has since allegedly expressed condolences to the Maraj family but that the amount claimed from the Nicki Minaj family lawsuit is unreasonable.
The attorneys working on the Nicki Minaj family lawsuit, Benjamin Crump and Paul Napoli, are due to represent the family in court. Benjamin Crump is well-known for his work on civil rights cases and families of victims of police brutality, and Paul Napoli is a New York personal injury attorney specializing in wrongful death and personal injury claims.
Crump stated on Instagram that, “Polevich was not only irresponsible and negligent, but more concerned about running away and hiding than seeking help.” The family’s attorneys went on to state that they intend to hold Polevich responsible for his reckless behavior and will strive to achieve justice for the victim’s family.
Although Nicki Minaj has yet to make a public statement, the rapper’s mother in an interview with Newsday said she and the Maraj family were very happy about Polevich’s arrest and that the alleged culprit will be brought to justice.
The criminal charges pending on Polevich will not have bearing on the civil suit, but the family’s attorneys are determined to prove his negligence at the time, and this is so far evident that he did not attempt to call the emergency services.
Hit and run accidents are an example of how another person or business’s negligence can negatively influence the lives of another.