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Man crashes pickup truck into Independence Day barbecue in a New York City gardenResulting in four deaths and seven injuries, he was sentenced to 24 years to life in prison. prison.
Daniel Hyden was driving drunk when his Ford F-150 veered off the curb, crashed through a chain-link fence and into a gathering place at Corleas Hook Park. manhattan Two years ago.
The devastating incident claimed the lives of Ana Morel, 43; Lucille Pinkney, 59; her sons Herman Pinkney, 38; and Emily Ruiz, 30. Seven people were injured, including Halena Herrera, who was hit in the face by debris and her best friend Emily Ruiz, who died in the crash. collision.
The truck’s power was halted only by the body trapped underneath, coming to rest just feet away from Herrera.
Speaking after Hayden sentencing in state court manhattanHerrera expressed the profound impact of the tragedy.
“It’s still hard to process knowing that the only reason I’m alive is because four other people died under the car,” she told reporters. While acknowledging a sense of justice, she added, “It doesn’t help a lot. It doesn’t bring any reward, but it’s nice to have it over with, so I’m happy with that.”
Hayden, 46, of Monmouth; new jerseyIn November, he was found guilty of murder, aggravated vehicular homicide and other charges in a nonjury trial. Although he works as a substance abuse counselor and wrote a 2020 book about coping with addiction, he described the incident as an “accident” in his court apology.
He claims he broke sobriety after his sister was murdered by drunk man driver In 2021, he was preparing to speak on the sentencing of the driver at the time of the crash.
However, Herrera denied he showed remorse, saying: “He never showed remorse from the beginning, so for him to sit there and apologize is just – I don’t believe any of that.” Diamond Pinkney, the son and brother of two of the victims, called the verdict a “huge relief,” adding that Hayton “knew what he did, he knew the consequences he could have, and he did it.”
Prosecutors detailed the events leading up to the crash, revealing that less than an hour earlier, Hayden had been denied entry to a nearby party boat and had a confrontation with security.
police Those who responded testified they saw nothing to warrant an arrest and left him on a park bench. Hayden then took the wheel, accelerating through a stop sign at 39 mph (63 km/h), speeding through a construction zone and driving over the sidewalk at speeds of up to 54 mph (87 km/h) before arriving at the park.
He hit the gas hard and didn’t brake until half a second before impact. When he attempted to reverse the vehicle, the witness pulled the keys from the ignition.
manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg “While this prison sentence will not reverse the death, injury and trauma, I hope this sentence will bring a degree of comfort to those affected by this mass casualty incident,” the statement said. He issued a stern warning: “If you are drunk, do not drive – you will endanger the lives of others and you will be prosecuted.”
Both Herrera and Pinckney want Hayden to serve life in prison. Herrera, who is studying to be a therapist, continues to struggle with depression and post-traumatic stress. “Every day, I worry that something else is going to happen,” she said. “But life is another story. So, here it is: Am I going to get hit by a car crossing the street? Is something going to happen to me?”