New Jersey man suspected of striking several people in hit-and-run sprees; one dead

<br>GARFIELD, N.J. (AP) _ In a bizarre weeklong crime spree, a man shot a woman in New Jersey, plowed his car into 19 pedestrians in Manhattan and then stole another car, returned to the city and slammed

Friday, February 15th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

GARFIELD, N.J. (AP) _ In a bizarre weeklong crime spree, a man shot a woman in New Jersey, plowed his car into 19 pedestrians in Manhattan and then stole another car, returned to the city and slammed into pedestrians again two days later, police said.

One of the pedestrians, who was struck in the first attack Tuesday, died Friday, an official said.

The incidents left 26 other people injured, police say _ seven of them in the most recent hit-and-run on Thursday.

The man, identified as Ronald Popadich, 39, of Garfield was arrested Thursday at the home he shares with his mother. He is charged with attempted murder in the Sunday shooting of neighbor Lisa Gotkin, 40, and was scheduled to appear in court Friday afternoon.

Once in custody, Popadich confessed to both hit-and-runs, the shooting of Gotkin and also said he shoot a cab driver on Wednesday night, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity. Popadich said he wanted to hurt more people, the sources said.

A 41-year-old man, who was struck Tuesday in the first hit-and-run at the intersection of 32nd Street and Seventh Avenue, has died, said a police source, also speaking to the AP on the condition of anonimity. The man's name was withheld by police pending family notification.

The latest rampage began Thursday morning, when Secaucus police received a report that a man had stolen a car from a woman in a shopping center parking lot. The suspect had a handgun but did not injure the woman, police said.

The car later turned up in midtown Manhattan, within sight of Penn Station and Madison Square Garden, shortly after 11 a.m. It went over a curb, struck three people and then turned around and hit four more pedestrians, New York Police Detective Thomas Lawrence said.

Four of the victims, ranging in age from 49 to 78, were hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

The driver stopped the car and fled into a subway station, police said.

Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor James Santulli said Popadich arrived by taxi at his home about an hour and a half later. Two detectives arrived shortly afterward to interview Popadich's mother, Violet, 77, and she told them her son was inside, Santulli said.

Popadich was arrested without incident, he said.

Thursday's events were almost identical to the mayhem two days before, which began when a driver slammed into three pedestrians in a crosswalk near Penn Station.

When an officer approached, the driver sped off, striking more pedestrians and a bicyclist before abandoning the car and fleeing. The pedestrians, including a 10-year-old girl, suffered minor injuries.

Police sources said Popadich told them that on Wednesday night he shot a cab driver twice after the man had driven him across town. The driver was listed in stable condition Friday at Beth Israel Hospital.

Popadich had a court date Friday in the shooting of his neighbor, Gotkin, who was found in an industrial area of Elmwood Park, Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor James Santulli said. Gotkin remained hospitalized in critical condition Friday. Popadich faces attempted murder and weapons possession charges.

Neighbors described Popadich as an odd man who walked to the park two or three times a day and met their greetings with only a stare. Marge Tamweber, 49, said she was not surprised that police found Popadich in his home.

``That's all he has is his mom,'' she said. ``You never saw him with friends. You never saw him with anybody.''

Popadich often smirked at people, and did the same when he was arrested, according to neighbor Cito Patire.

``It was just scary,'' Patire said.