On Friday, New Yorkers mourning the loss of loved ones killed by a drunken addiction counselor during a July 4th gathering expressed their shared grief as the perpetrator received a 24-year prison sentence. Among them was a child left without his mother, softly saying at bedtime, “I want my mommy.”
“It’s hard to put into words what I feel when I hear him at night whispering that,” Lillian Lewis, the mother of victim Emily Lewis, shared in court, referring to her 7-year-old grandson Kal-El after the tragic events of July 4, 2024.
Lewis was one of four victims when Daniel Heiden, 44, who claimed to be a drug counselor and boasted about being sober, drove a drunken Ford F-150 through a fence into a party in a Lower East Side park.
Prior to the sentencing by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice April Newbauer, Lillian Lewis expressed her sorrow: “I will never hear her call me Mama again. What I mourn most is my daughter and grandson and the void they leave behind.” Heiden was found guilty of all charges related to the incident at a trial in November.
The judge directed anger at Heiden, saying, “It’s very likely you knew you could kill them and didn’t care,” before imposing the lengthy sentence.
Eight victims delivered emotional statements regarding the verdict. Starkema Lewis, a relative of victim Herman Pinckney, 38, along with his aunt Lucille Pinckney, 59, questioned why Heiden, who authored an autobiography titled “The Sober Addict,” would choose to drink heavily before causing such tragedy.
“Daniel Heiden: Substance Abuse Counselor… someone who made a career warning others against the choices he made that night,” Lewis articulated in a victim impact statement.
Heiden, aware of the tragic consequences of drinking and driving, nevertheless chose to drive, despite having multiple prior DUI offenses.
The family of another victim, Ana Morel, a disabled woman who had rearranged her holiday plans, shared their heartbreak. They mentioned how the tragedy would leave a lasting shadow over their lives.
“I don’t see Independence Day as a celebration anymore,” Zoria Hernandez and Evelyn Morrell reflected in their letter. “This day will haunt us forever. I wish I could bring my sister back.”
Heiden’s blood alcohol level was reportedly as high as 0.17, which is over twice the legal limit, according to prosecutors. They indicated that he was removed from a party boat due to excessive drinking before trying to drive.
As he barreled into a crowd at Colliers Hook Park at 52 miles per hour, four people were killed, and seven others injured.
Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bogdanos condemned Heiden’s reckless choice, considering his history with DUIs. “He was destined to get drunk and cause devastation,” Bogdanos remarked.
In court, an unemotional Heiden offered apologies to the victims, but also referenced the loss of his sister to a drunk driver in New Jersey in 2021, mentioning that he had planned to speak at the sentencing of her killer until he found himself facing charges for the same crime.
In expressing his pain, Heiden pondered, “Who would let another human being go through what I went through?” He claimed his relapse was triggered by his sister’s death.
Heiden was convicted on four counts of murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, and seven counts of assault during a non-jury trial.
