Overtime: Newark Police Officer Guilty. DOT truck explodes in flames

In this installment of Eyewitness News, we update you on the guilty verdict in the trial of a former Newark police officer charged with unlawful use of lethal force.

A jury found Giovanni Crespo guilty of all charges, including aggravated manslaughter, aggravated assault and misconduct.

During the 2019 chase, Crespo fired several shots at a vehicle that allegedly fled a roadblock.

The driver of the car, 46-year-old Gregory Griffin, was shot in the head and died, and a passenger was also shot but survived.

Prosecutors argued that Crespo’s conduct was criminal, and the jury agreed. Crespo has been detained again pending sentencing. His attorney said he plans to appeal.

Other headlines from Wednesday’s show include:

Department of Transportation truck catches fire in Queens

An investigation is underway after a truck caught fire and exploded in Long Island City Wednesday afternoon. A Department of Transportation truck caught fire on 47th Street and Vernon Boulevard shortly after 1:00 p.m., and the truck exploded as firefighters were dispatched to the scene, evacuating nearby stores. No injuries were reported, but eyewitnesses said the force of the explosion was devastating.

2 killed, 9 injured in overnight shootings across New York City

Just hours after the July 4th fireworks display, more gun violence erupted in three boroughs across New York City overnight. At least 11 people were shot overnight and two died. Six of those shot were in the Bronx, so Mayor Eric Adams rushed to the scene and the New York Police Department issued a Level 4 mobilization, pushing officers from all 77 precincts into the borough.

One-on-one with the Interim Commissioner of the NYPD

It’s a scary situation for those in that neighborhood, but now there’s a new top cop from the Bronx. Edward Cavan, who was born and raised in the Parkchester area, was appointed the city’s interim police chief over the weekend. On Tuesday, he invited eyewitness news reporter Josh Einiger to view security preparations for the Fourth of July fireworks from the ground and a police helicopter. It was clear that fireworks weren’t the only thing on his mind.

Summer travel season interview

Here in the United States, we delve into the end of one of the busiest holiday travel periods of the year. After a rocky start last week, the journey back home for millions of air travelers on 4th of July is expected to be smoother. The TSA conducted a record number of tests on Friday. It is not the highest amount since the new coronavirus infection, but it is the highest amount ever. This was despite continued severe weather and heat waves causing further problems in parts of the country. CNN’s Karin Kaifa discusses what this means for the rest of the summer travel season.

“Witness News Extra Time” is available Monday through Friday at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7NY.com or our live stream. ABC7NY App on Roku, FireTV, Apple TV and Android TV.

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