NEW YORK -- A veteran city police sergeant was in custody today following his arrest for allegedly shooting and killing a woman motorist after a minor traffic accident.
Sgt. Rudolph Hayes, 56, was arrested and charged with murder some 16 hours after Sharon Walker, 33, was shot in the back.
A police spokesman said Hayes and Walker got out of their cars following what was described as a 'fender-bender' accident at 1:30 a.m. Sunday and began arguing.
An unidentified passerby attempted to help Walker. Police said Hayes pulled a gun and fired two shots at the man.
Walker began running and police said Hayes fired two shots at her, hitting her once in the back.
She died of her wounds an hour later at Mary Immaculate Hospital.
Police said Hayes continued firing at the man who tried to help her after he gunned the woman down.
The passerby was not injured.
Hayes, appointed to the city Police Department on June 1, 1951, was arrested following an investigation by Queens detectives and was in custody today.
The sergeant worked in Queens as an administrator for auxiliary police.
