A recent crackdown on toll-dodging drivers in New York City has resulted in the arrest of a career criminal who is now being investigated for a 2005 murder in Brooklyn. Pedro Bonilla, a 43-year-old resident of The Bronx, was apprehended during a three-day investigation conducted by the NYPD and MTA officers targeting vehicles with “ghost plates” or excessive toll violations.
Bonilla was stopped on a motorcycle on the Third Avenue Bridge between Upper Manhattan and The Bronx for a traffic violation. In an attempt to evade capture, he accelerated into a parked car and then tried to flee on foot. However, law enforcement officials quickly apprehended him. During the arrest, authorities discovered that Bonilla was carrying a loaded .9mm gun.
Notably, Bonilla has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple arrests related to firearms and robbery. The MTA has also identified him as a person of interest in a 2005 homicide case in Brooklyn. As a result, Bonilla now faces charges of assault, weapons possession, and resisting arrest, among others.
The operation, aimed at curbing the use of counterfeit license plates and targeting repeat toll violators, resulted in the seizure of 196 vehicles and the arrest of 50 individuals at checkpoints across seven bridges in the city. Among the confiscated vehicles were luxury brands such as Mercedes, Tesla, and BMW, as well as customized sports cars. Noteworthy examples included a red sports car with the license plate “NAHHHH” and a motor scooter boasting the plate “#1 DAD.”
During one stop on June 14, officers discovered a vehicle with plates reported stolen from a dealership in Virginia. This led to the arrest of a 24-year-old suspect who had multiple warrants for vehicle theft in the southern state. Authorities suspect that the stolen car was part of a larger dealership fraud scheme.
The checkpoints were strategically placed at the George Washington, RFK, Willis Avenue, Henry Hudson, Broadway, 181 Street, and Third Avenue bridges. In total, the individuals apprehended during this operation collectively owed approximately $1.5 million in unpaid tolls, fees, and other vehicle-related debts.
This recent crackdown marks the 21st operation conducted by the NYPD and MTA in 2024, with the assistance of other law enforcement agencies. These efforts have resulted in the seizure of 1,266 vehicles, 276 arrests, and nearly 10,000 summonses. The operation conducted last week alone accounted for 1,809 court summonses.
