Man, Gas Station Attendant Charged for Pumping Gas into Drums

A gas station attendant and a customer were both arrested following an incident involving gas being transported under illegal and dangerous conditions, police said Wednesday.

Police were dispatched to the Global Gas Station in the 700 block of E. Main St. Tuesday after a concerned citizen called police and reported seeing a man pumping gas into 55-gallon drums, authorities said. 

Officers arrived and found a man identified by police as Silverio Gomez-Ciguencia, 40, of 83rd St. in Jackson Heights, NY, allegedly pumping gas into drums in the back of a Sleepy's Furniture box truck.

The man allegedly informed authorities he paid the attendant at the station $500 cash and just began pumping his gas, no further interaction took place, police said. The attendant, identified by authorities as Hicham Freikha, 38, of Dolsen Pl., was informed he was responsible for making sure customers were pumping gas into appropriate containers, according to police.

Both were charges of being in violation of regulation governing the transportation of flammable liquids.

***

Other Arrests

Alexander Beltran, 40, of Radford St. in Yonkers, NY, was charged Tuesday night with third-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace.

Herlindo Morales, 55, of Charles St., was charged Tuesday afternoon with second-degree failure to appear. 

Douglas Panetta, 51, of Pacific St., was arrested Tuesday afternoon on an extradition warrant.

Marilyn Rivera, 39, of Hamilton Ave., was charged Tuesday night with third-degree assault and disorderly conduct.

Enzo Trichilo, 37, of Old Boston Rd., was charged Tuesday night with third-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace.