Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Bethpage man who killed his wife, attacked his daughter with a knife and led cops on a high-speed car chase that culminated in a fiery crash at a gas station and an assault on a police officer in November 2016 was convicted of murder among other charges.
Robert Crumb, 45, was convicted by a jury of second-degree murder, first-degree and second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and resisting arrest.
Singas said on Nov. 4, 2016, at approximately 12:30 a.m., Crumb and his wife were arguing in the bedroom of their Seitz Drive home in Bethpage. During the argument over their pending divorce, Crumb stabbed and slashed his wife, Maria Crumb, multiple times in her back. Upon hearing the commotion, the couple’s then 12-year-old son attempted to stop the stabbing by jumping onto his father’s back, but was thrown off. Crumb then attacked his teenage daughter and later returned to the bedroom to stab his wife again in the neck.
The couple’s son called 911 and members of the Nassau County Police Department responded to the home where Crumb’s wife was pronounced dead by responding medical technicians.
Crumb fled the house, leading five Nassau County police cars on a high-speed chase on the Southern State Parkway and later onto the Belt Parkway into Brooklyn. At times, Crumb was driving at 90 miles an hour. The chase ended when Crumb crashed his car into a Citgo gas station at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Flatlands Avenue, causing the car to burst into flames.
After the crash, Crumb charged at one of the officers, knocking him to the ground, causing him to lose consciousness. Multiple officers then jumped onto Crumb, arresting him.
The trial started last month and the jury deliberated for approximately four hours. Crumb was remanded and is due back for sentencing before acting Supreme Court Justice Terence Murphy on Thursday, June 14. He faces a sentence of up to 25 years to life in prison.
“This defendant brutally murdered the mother of his children, assaulted his daughter and endangered the lives of police and the public in a reckless high-speed chase,” said Singas. “My heart goes out to the victim’s family and while no conviction can erase their pain, I hope this verdict gives them some comfort.”
Crumb was acquitted of one count of second-degree assault and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
—Submitted by the office of Madeline Singas, Nassau County District Attorney
