Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Valley Stream man was arraigned on grand jury indictment charges for a high-speed chase and ramming that ended in a fatal crash.
Dana King, Jr., 23, was arraigned before Judge Robert Bogle and charged with Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a C felony) and two counts of Assault in the Second Degree (a D violent felony). Bail was continued at $500,000 bond or $250,000 cash, and the defendant is due back in court on June 10. If convicted of the top count, he faces up to five to 15 years in prison.
“This defendant allegedly could not accept that his relationship with his ex-girlfriend was over and as a result Jim Hayes, Jr. lost his life,” DA Singas said. “The allegations of very high speeds, chasing and striking the car paint a picture of extreme recklessness and a lack of regard for the lives of anyone in the defendant’s way
DA Singas said that on March 18 at 11:30 p.m., the victim, 22-year-old Jim Hayes, Jr., picked up, Isabel Rodriguez, from her Valley Stream home in a lime green 2007 BMW. About a block from the house, the woman noticed her ex-boyfriend, the defendant, driving a black 2009 Audi behind them. The defendant then allegedly began to chase their vehicle at a high rate of speed from Valley Stream to Hempstead; at times making contact with the BMW.
While on Baldwin Avenue in Hempstead, the defendant’s vehicle allegedly struck the Audi causing it to become airborne and crash into a tree. The force of the crash caused the defendant’s vehicle to continue out-of-control, crashing into two parked cars, spinning, and ultimately coming to a rest several hundred feet from the initial area of impact.
The impact killed Hayes, who was pronounced dead at the scene, and caused serious injury to Rodriguez, who was transported to Nassau University Medical Center where she was treated for a broken arm and broken back.
Deputy Bureau Chief Michael Bushwack and Senior Assistant District Attorney Katie Zizza are prosecuting this case. Michael DerGarabedian, Esq. represents the defendant.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.