Baldwin man sentenced to life in prison for running over, killing gas station employee while trying to steal gas
Prosecutors said Joshua Roston had been trying to steal $22 worth of gas when he ran over 59-year-old Cemal “John” Dagdeviren.
More Stories
A Baldwin man was sentenced to life in prison for the killing of a gas station attendant in 2019.
Joshua Roston was found guilty of second-degree felony murder and second-degree manslaughter in the 2019 death of a South Hempstead gas station manager.
Prosecutors said Roston had been trying to steal $22 worth of gas when he ran over 59-year-old Cemal “John” Dagdeviren. Dagdeviren was the manager of Pit Stop Gas Station.
Roston then fled the scene and turned himself in to authorities several days later in Pennsylvania.
Roston said to the court during his sentencing that he had acted out of fear when he killed Dagdeviren, as he said Dagdeviren jumped on to his SUV. He apologized to the 59-year-old's family and said he speaks to Dagdeviren all of the time, expressing his remorse for how it has affected both their families.
Dagdeviren's two sons and widow spoke to the court and said they do not believe Roston is truly sorry or remorseful based on how he acted during the trial.
They said their lives have changed completely and that they have not been able to accept the shocking and sudden death of their loved one. They asked for the maximum sentence, explaining they did not feel Dagdeviren could truly rest in peace until Roston was behind bars, unable to harm another person.
Judge Meryl Berkowitz said Roston demonstrated to her time and again that he has not accepted responsibility for his actions. After interrupting her multiple times to contradict her statement, she cut her remarks short and went right to sentencing him.
Roston's attorney, Joseph Lo Piccolo, said he plans to appeal Roston’s conviction because of the way the case was handled, including a delay in the proceedings.
