NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A grand jury indicted a retired NYPD detective on a second-degree murder charge Tuesday in last week's deadly shooting on the George Washington Bridge that authorities have said was sparked by an apparent case of road rage.
Victor Romero, 62, was initially charged with murder after his arrest, but that charge was downgraded to first-degree manslaughter at his arraignment last Thursday, leading to outrage from the friends, family and colleagues of Koran Irvine, 46.
Irvine, of Valley Cottage, was a Con Edison employee who was heading home from work when he was shot. Authorities said the vehicles the two men were driving nearly collided on an approach to the New Jersey-bound upper level of the bridge.
Romero, of Haverstraw, allegedly followed Irvine and fired a shot, striking the father of two, before driving away. Police later tracked down the SUV that Romero was driving, which is owned by his employer, according to prosecutors.
Romero, out on $1 million bail after previously pleading not guilty to manslaughter, returned to Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday as a grand jury voted to upgrade his charge to second-degree murder.
Dozens of Con Edison workers also showed up at court in a show of support for Irvine's family.
Romero is due back in court on Nov. 23.
