Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Rey Perez was arraigned on charges of manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter and drunk driving for speeding through a stop sign in Astoria, where he collided with another vehicle, was propelled into parked cars and then drove approximately four miles before seeking help for his gravely injured passenger — his 29-year-old wife. The woman later died from her injuries.
District Attorney Katz said: “The consequences of driving drunk and speeding are as tragic as they are predictable. As alleged in the complaint, the defendant’s decisions killed his own wife and put the lives of other motorists in danger. We cannot undo this tragedy, but we will hold the defendant accountable.”
Perez, 27, of Caton Avenue, Brooklyn, who is also known as Ray Perez, was arraigned on charges of manslaughter in the second degree, vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, leaving scene of an incident without reporting/death, operating a motor vehicle while under influence of alcohol, reckless driving, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree and driving by unlicensed operator.
He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Queens Criminal Court Judge Julieta Lozano ordered Perez to return to court on February 27.
According to the charges:
- On February 22, at approximately 4:00 a.m., Perez was observed at the intersection of 47th street and 28th Avenue in Astoria speeding through a stop sign. His car was struck on the driver’s side by another vehicle, causing him to lose control and hit two parked cars. Perez continued driving and turned down 47th Street to flee the scene without reporting the incident.
- At approximately 4:24 a.m., officers responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision at the intersection of 56th Drive and 61st Street in Maspeth and found a red Nissan Altima with heavy damage on the passenger side. Perez had knocked on the door of a resident at the location, which about four miles from the Astoria intersection, to ask for help.
- Officers observed 29-year-old Bridget Enriquez of Brooklyn inside the Altima, laying on her stomach unconscious with blood on her face and blood on the passenger seat. Enriquez was immediately transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.
- Perez was also observed by officers to have slurred speech, watery eyes, a strong odor of alcohol emanating from his breath and was swaying on his feet. He was taken to a hospital where a preliminary breath indicated that his blood alcohol content was .113 percent which is above the legal threshold of .08 percent.
- Perez admitted that he was driving the car and that he would fail the breath test.
- A check of motor vehicle records indicated that Perez’s driver’s license was suspended.
Assistant District Attorney Brian Cox of District Attorney’s Vehicular Homicide Unit within the Homicide Bureau is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Matthew Hauszpigel under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Jonathan Selkowe, Unit Chief, John Kosinski, Bureau Chief, and Karen Ross, Deputy Chief and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.
No comments:
Post a Comment