A Queens jury Monday convicted a Woodhaven man who prosecutors said went on a rampage more than four years ago, shooting at over a dozen people and killing a Massapequa Park man while driving around Queens neighborhoods picking off victims at random.
Matthew Coletta, 38, of 85-26 98th St. in Woodhaven was convicted in state Supreme Court in Queens of one count of second-degree murder, 13 counts of second-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and one count of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Todd Upton, 51, of Massapequa Park, was shot in the neck on the Cross Island Parkway while riding in the passenger seat of a minivan with his wife and daughter in the Aug. 25, 2006 attack. Upton died at New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens.
In all, 13 people were shot and three people were seriously hurt.
'The defendant carved a bloody swath across Queens County during a violent six-hour shooting rampage in which he drove around randomly firing at individuals standing on the sidewalk or traveling in vehicles,' said Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, in a statement. He will be sentenced Dec. 16 and could receive in excess of 25 years to life in prison.
Matthew Coletta, 38, of 85-26 98th St. in Woodhaven was convicted in state Supreme Court in Queens of one count of second-degree murder, 13 counts of second-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and one count of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Todd Upton, 51, of Massapequa Park, was shot in the neck on the Cross Island Parkway while riding in the passenger seat of a minivan with his wife and daughter in the Aug. 25, 2006 attack. Upton died at New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens.
In all, 13 people were shot and three people were seriously hurt.
'The defendant carved a bloody swath across Queens County during a violent six-hour shooting rampage in which he drove around randomly firing at individuals standing on the sidewalk or traveling in vehicles,' said Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, in a statement. He will be sentenced Dec. 16 and could receive in excess of 25 years to life in prison.
