NYPD MAY BE LIABLE IN DEADLY CRASH BROOKLYN, NEW YORK (July 19, 2016)
One person has died in a tragic car accident after a drunk off-duty cop crashed his SUV onto a sidewalk in Williamsburg, according to the NY Post. Authorities have been able to identify the man that was killed in the collision as MIT student Andrew Esquivel. Three other people were seriously injured in the crash. They have been identified as Divya Menezes, Sophia Tabachoun and James Balchaunas. Andrew Esquivel and the other MIT students were heading back to their apartment after getting off the train. The off-duty police officer was spotted swerving and speeding just moments before mounting the curb on Bedford Avenue by North Eighth Street. Witnesses describe the scene of the accident as chaotic. One person sustained a serious leg injury and another was pinned against a fence by the vehicle. Emergency medical workers rushed to the scene of the accident and later pronounced Andrew Esquivel dead. The intoxicated officer was arrested following the crash and charged with manslaughter. He was being held on a 300 thousand dollar bail and was later released after paying. The officer that was arrested had a number of pictures on his Facebook page of him with alcohol where he bragged about his drinking prowess. This isn’t the first time that a drunk off-duty cop has caused serious injuries. The NYPD is currently being sued for 90 million after a drunk off-duty police officer violently attacked a random pedestrian with his service pistol and almost killed him. The lawsuit alleges, in part, that the NYPD’s lax policies on alcohol abuse are what contributed to the attack.
HELPING THOSE IN NEED BY RAISING AWARENESS
If you or someone that you know has been affected by this accident, we will gladly help raise awareness of any gofundme campaign set up to support the victim or their family. We can link to it in this post which is then spread across our social media platforms. You can send your request to: gofundmerequest@gmail.com. Our staff at the RMFW Law Firm were heartbroken to learn about the fatal car accident in Williamsburg. It is outrageous that someone who swore an oath to serve the public and uphold the constitution would cause such destruction with their indifference for public safety. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families as they seek answers. If there is anything at all that we can do for them as they seek the best medical treatment or have questions about their rights, we would be glad to help 212-344-1000.