Driver Who Killed Nicki Minaj's Father In Accident Receives 1-Year Sentence

Charles Polevich, who pleaded guilty to the hit-and-run that killed Nicki's father, will pay an additional $5,000 fine.

BYGabriel Bras Nevares
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Charles Polevich, the hit-and-run driver that killed Nicki Minaj's father Robert in February 2021, has been sentenced to a year behind bars. According to a TMZ report, his driver's license will be suspended for six months and Polevich will have to pay a $5,000 fine.


The driver previously turned himself in and pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of the fatal crash and tampering with evidence. Robert Maraj's widow, Carol harshly criticized the Nassau County District Attorney's Office and Judge Howard Sturim's decision to jail Polevich for no more than a year. Judge Sturim also presided over Wednesday's sentencing.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

A representative of the Nassau County District Attorney's Office explained that the office were at odds with Judge Sturim's decision to withhold Polevich's sentence to a single year, citing the "severity of the defendant's conduct." Robert Maraj, who was 64 years old at the time of his tragic death, was walking on the street when he was hit by Polevich. The driver initially fled the scene and reportedly tried to change his car's appearance to avoid identification.


Last May, on Robert Maraj's birthday, Nicki Minaj posted a touching tribute to her late father on Instagram. "Happy Birthday Daddy," she wrote. "Miss u so much. So much. So so much. Rest In Peace. Oh my God."

Despite Nicki's tragic loss over a year ago, we're glad to see she is still showing strength and vision in her life and career. She recently teased her upcoming six-part docuseries, which she says will be "intimate, delicate, electrifying, [and] inspiring."

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About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.