A Year Without Fermin Arzu
NEW YORK (OCN) — A year ago, The State of New York lost a maintenance worker and immigrant from Honduras named Fermin Arzu. Arzu, who was 41 years old at the time, lost his life after a car accident between 11:00 pm and midnight on Hewitt Place in the Longwood.
Arzu did not die immediately from injuries sustained in the accident and remained in the vehicle where he was found by 37 year old Officer Raphael Lora who was not on duty at the time but heard the accident from his nearby home.
When Officer Lora came to investigate, he found witnesses screaming “That’s him! That’s him!” Officer Lora then went over to Arzu’s red Nissan Quest and identified himself as a police officer and requested Arzu’s paperwork.
Upon their interaction, Arzu is alledged to have moved his vehicle with Officer Lora in close proximity to the vehicle. Fearing for his safety of being pinned under the red Nissan Quest, Officer Lora is alledged to have fired his weapon multiple time at the vehicle.
Although Mr. Arzu’s blood-alcohol level was higher than the legal driving limit of 0.08 percent which could have cause him to create more harm while he was alledged to have been leaving the scene, many people felt his death was unjustified and was happy to learn in December 2007 that Officer Lora was being indicted in the shooting.
He is survived his longtime girlfriend, Thomasa Sabeo and many loving family.
