A tragic incident occurred in Brooklyn on June 12 when an 86-year-old man, identified as former mobster Antonio Conigliaro, was decapitated by a New York City Department of Transportation truck. The NYPD reported that Conigliaro was hit by the truck while jaywalking across a marked crosswalk.
The driver of the city truck, a 31-year-old city worker, was not arrested, but an investigation is currently ongoing. Witnesses at the scene mentioned that the driver appeared visibly distraught after the incident. First responders not only tended to the driver but also covered Conigliaro’s severed head in the middle of the street.
Conigliaro, also known as “Tony Cakes” or “Tony the Dessert Man” for his cheesecake distribution business, had a past involvement with the Genovese crime family. In 2005, he pled guilty to federal racketeering charges and served 13 months in prison. Despite his criminal history, his neighbors in the Bay Ridge apartment building where he lived were unaware of his past life.
The tragic irony of Conigliaro’s death was not lost on the authorities, as a former mobster who had spent his life in fear of his enemies ultimately met his end in a pedestrian accident. The New York Post quoted a police source saying, “He spent his life looking over his shoulder but he forgot to look both ways before crossing the street.”
This incident highlights the dangers that pedestrians face in New York City, where accidents involving vehicles are not uncommon. The NYPD has been known to injure and even kill pedestrians during car chases in the city. Despite these risks, drivers in the city often receive the benefit of the doubt in such situations.
As the investigation into the tragic death of Antonio Conigliaro continues, it serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of life in a bustling metropolis like New York City. The incident also sheds light on the complexities of individuals with criminal pasts and the challenges they may face in their daily lives.