Substance-Abuse Counselor Charged in Deadly NYC DUI Crash
Submitted by MAGA
Posted 108 days ago
Suspected drunk driver in deadly NYC crash is substance-abuse counselor who wrote 'The Sober Addict'
Daniel Christopher Hyden, a 44-year-old substance-abuse counselor, has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and other raps after allegedly driving a gray Ford F-150 through the Water Street and Jackson Street intersection, over the sidewalk and into people celebrating the Fourth of July in Corlears Hook Park, just before 9 p.m. on Thursday.
Hyden, who wrote "The Sober Addict," a book detailing his rock-bottom experiences with alcohol, was charged with vehicular homicide, eight counts of assault, three counts of driving while intoxicated and one count of "aggravated unlicensed operator," or driving with a suspended or revoked license.
The three killed were identified as Lucille Pinkney, 59, and her son Herman Pinkney, 38 — who lived together near the crash scene — and Ana Morel, 43. The other eight injured included Herman’s longtime girlfriend Jessica Pellot and her 11-year-old son, Jakob Velazquez, who relatives told The Post was "traumatized" by the loss of his father figure.
Hyden, who has at least three prior arrests in New York City and a long rap sheet that spans to Wisconsin, described himself as an "ex-professional addict… with over 18 years of use and abuse experience" and claimed "addicts don’t choose addiction — addiction chooses them."
Hyden also revealed he has "taken many mugshots over the years" and that his stints in jail were "humbling, demeaning and even enlightening." He went on to describe his stints in jail as "humbling, demeaning and even enlightening" and recalled that he felt a "sense of finality" when "those metal doors clanked behind me."
Hyden's Amazon author bio lists him as a substance Abuse Counselor, instructor, public speaker, and wellness advocate in New York City. He has also recently worked as a counselor at Montefiore and an addiction clinician at Lincoln Hospital, which is part of NYC Health + Hospitals.
The incident has sparked outrage and calls for stricter DUI laws. Many are questioning how someone with a history of addiction and multiple arrests was allowed to work as a substance-abuse counselor and drive a vehicle.
Hyden's ex-girlfriend, with whom he shares a 12-year-old daughter, told The Post on Friday that she had warned him that this would happen one day. "This is shocking because he hurt people," she said. "He killed people. I’m so hurt over that."
Hyden held his head down and ignored questions about the deadly crash from reporters as officers walked him out of the NYPD’s 7th precinct on Pitt Street Friday afternoon. He also faces charges of driving while intoxicated and for not having a valid license, as well as eight counts of assault in the second-degree — and was awaiting arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Terrifying surveillance footage showed the truck barreling down the street with no signs of slowing down at the intersection just before the crash. The car jumped the curb and into a fence — which did nothing to stop it — sending sparks into the air as the vehicle hurled toward the family, the video shows.
Hyden suffered head and facial lacerations and was initially transported to Bellevue Hospital, police said. As he was led out of the Lower East Side precinct, a Pinkney relative screamed at him: "You don’t deserve air! My sister and my nephew. Remember their names."
Sources:
theguardian.com
nypost.com
gothamist.com
Daniel Christopher Hyden, a 44-year-old substance-abuse counselor, has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and other raps after allegedly driving a gray Ford F-150 through the Water Street and Jackson Street intersection, over the sidewalk and into people celebrating the Fourth of July in Corlears Hook Park, just before 9 p.m. on Thursday.
Hyden, who wrote "The Sober Addict," a book detailing his rock-bottom experiences with alcohol, was charged with vehicular homicide, eight counts of assault, three counts of driving while intoxicated and one count of "aggravated unlicensed operator," or driving with a suspended or revoked license.
The three killed were identified as Lucille Pinkney, 59, and her son Herman Pinkney, 38 — who lived together near the crash scene — and Ana Morel, 43. The other eight injured included Herman’s longtime girlfriend Jessica Pellot and her 11-year-old son, Jakob Velazquez, who relatives told The Post was "traumatized" by the loss of his father figure.
Hyden, who has at least three prior arrests in New York City and a long rap sheet that spans to Wisconsin, described himself as an "ex-professional addict… with over 18 years of use and abuse experience" and claimed "addicts don’t choose addiction — addiction chooses them."
Hyden also revealed he has "taken many mugshots over the years" and that his stints in jail were "humbling, demeaning and even enlightening." He went on to describe his stints in jail as "humbling, demeaning and even enlightening" and recalled that he felt a "sense of finality" when "those metal doors clanked behind me."
Hyden's Amazon author bio lists him as a substance Abuse Counselor, instructor, public speaker, and wellness advocate in New York City. He has also recently worked as a counselor at Montefiore and an addiction clinician at Lincoln Hospital, which is part of NYC Health + Hospitals.
The incident has sparked outrage and calls for stricter DUI laws. Many are questioning how someone with a history of addiction and multiple arrests was allowed to work as a substance-abuse counselor and drive a vehicle.
Hyden's ex-girlfriend, with whom he shares a 12-year-old daughter, told The Post on Friday that she had warned him that this would happen one day. "This is shocking because he hurt people," she said. "He killed people. I’m so hurt over that."
Hyden held his head down and ignored questions about the deadly crash from reporters as officers walked him out of the NYPD’s 7th precinct on Pitt Street Friday afternoon. He also faces charges of driving while intoxicated and for not having a valid license, as well as eight counts of assault in the second-degree — and was awaiting arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Terrifying surveillance footage showed the truck barreling down the street with no signs of slowing down at the intersection just before the crash. The car jumped the curb and into a fence — which did nothing to stop it — sending sparks into the air as the vehicle hurled toward the family, the video shows.
Hyden suffered head and facial lacerations and was initially transported to Bellevue Hospital, police said. As he was led out of the Lower East Side precinct, a Pinkney relative screamed at him: "You don’t deserve air! My sister and my nephew. Remember their names."
Sources:
theguardian.com
nypost.com
gothamist.com
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