Off-duty nyc housing employee busted in queens for driving with suspended license

QUEENS, N.Y. — An off-duty employee with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development was arrested Thursday evening in Queens for driving without a valid license, police said.

Edwig Cooman, 52, was taken into custody at 5:22 p.m. within the confines of the NYPD’s 116th Precinct, which covers southeastern neighborhoods including Rosedale and Laurelton.

Cooman was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree and operating a vehicle with no license plate, according to police.

The incident involved a private vehicle, and Cooman was not engaged in official city duties at the time of his arrest, authorities said. No injuries or additional violations were reported.

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development, where Cooman is employed, did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the arrest.

Key points

Edwig Cooman, 52, was arrested Thursday in the 116th Precinct area
He faces charges of driving with a suspended license and no plate
Cooman is an off-duty employee with NYC Housing Preservation and Development

Employee faces misdemeanor charge

Aggravated unlicensed operation in the third degree is a misdemeanor under New York State law and typically applies to individuals who operate a vehicle with a license that has been suspended for non-criminal reasons, such as failure to pay a fine.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.