A drunk driver who tragically struck four individuals during a Fourth of July celebration in Manhattan could have kept driving if his vehicle hadn’t been stuck on one of the victims, prosecutors reported on Monday.
Daniel Christopher Heiden, 44, was reported to have been thrown out of a local bar moments before he got into his Ford F-150. He then crashed through a fence at a park on the Lower East Side and barreled into a gathering, according to Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bodoganos, who provided stark opening statements in Heiden’s non-jury trial.
“He can hit 11 people and still rev his engine,” Bodoganos stated. “The disturbing reality is that the only reason the car stopped is because it was on top of someone.”
Heiden sped into the crowd at around 52 mph, injuring seven others in the process, authorities reported. His blood alcohol level was measured at 0.17, significantly exceeding the legal limit.
Prosecutors hinted at using Heiden’s own words from his autobiography, “The Sober Addict,” to build their case. In a quoted section, Heiden reflected on his past, stating, “When I was drunk and riding on the road, I was a real danger to others, to my bicycle, and to myself.”
“He was conscious of the risk his actions posed to others,” Bodoganos noted about Heiden’s state of mind while driving under the influence.
The crash resulted in the deaths of Emily Lewis, 30; Herman Pinckney, 38; Anna Morrell, 43; and Lucille Pinckney, 59, all of whom were enjoying the holiday at Colliers Hook Park.
In a particularly painful moment, Bodoganos shared that Lewis’ young son brought a toy first aid kit to the hospital with hopes of helping the doctors treat his mother’s severe injuries.
Heiden’s attorney, Theodore Harlick, questioned the reliability of the blood-alcohol readings, suggesting that an injury Heiden suffered during an altercation at a club may have impacted his driving abilities. “That could explain why he didn’t hit the brakes,” he argued.
