At his first court appearance since being released on $1-million bail, retired NYPD detective Victor Romero was confronted by scores of Con Edison workers outraged over the shooting death of their colleague in a road rage clash on the George Washington Bridge.
Romero, 62, was arrested for allegedly killing Koran Irvine, a 46-year-old Con Edison worker and father of two, after the two men nearly collided during a lane change as they drove onto the bridge about 7:15 p.m. Oct. 20.
After his charges were downgraded from murder to manslaughter by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, Romero made bail and was released Friday.
Irvine was “one of the best people that we know,” said Chris Dennerle, one of about 100 Con Ed coworkers who showed up at the suspect’s appearance in Manhattan Criminal Court Tuesday.
“These are just people that took their personal time off work to be here,” Dennerle added. “We’re all here to support him and hope that this goes the way it should and not where this guy gets off with a slap on the wrist.”
Koran Irvine was fatally shot on the George Washington Bridge on Oct. 20. (Instagram)
Irvine was leading a Con Edison project at the 49th St. subway station, which has stalled without him, according to Irvine’s sister.
“It took a big hit,” Dennerle agreed. “A lot of people took off to mourn for him. There’s no one that can do what he does.”
The project started back up on Monday as the crew returned to work.
A grand jury of 23 anonymous Manhattanites was due to vote whether Romero should be indicted on the manslaughter charges Tuesday, prosecutors said in court.
Barry Williams/ New York Daily News
Retired NYPD Officer Victor Romero enters Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday. (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)
The downgrading of charges has drawn criticism for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, as well as accusations of preferential treatment for Romero, who retired from the NYPD in 2001 after being injured in a shootout at his family’s Brooklyn laundromat.
“It just seems like he’s being protected,” Dennerle said. “It doesn’t seem like it’s fair.”
“Flaco was a special one,” he said, using Irvine’s nickname. “He was the one that lit up the room. If you’re on a job with Flaco you know it was going to be a good job.”
Barry Williams/ New York Daily News
Con Edison worker Chris Dennerle speaks to the media after the court appearance of Victor Romero at Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday. (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)
“When I came into the group, he actually taught me, took me under his wing. And everything that I know I learned from that man,” Dennerle added.
“His kids knew my kids. I had to take my kids out of school the other day and explain to them what was going on, so they wouldn’t see it somewhere else before I got the chance to tell them.”