An alleged drunk driver has been charged with manslaughter after a woman died when she was ejected from a car that crashed into a utility pole on Staten Island Saturday morning, police said.
Adem Nikeziq, 30, was allegedly impaired when he was driving his white Dodge sedan southbound on Hylan Boulevard in New Dorp before he lost control of the vehicle just before 5 a.m., according to the NYPD. The vehicle hit a wall before spinning out and crashing into a wood utility pole near Rose Avenue, splitting the car into three parts, police said.
Update: Accused drunken driver breaks down after learning pregnant fiancé and unborn died
The 23-year-old victim was seated on the passenger side and was thrown from the car on impact, police said. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Her identity has not yet been released.
Nikeziq, a Staten Island resident, suffered minor injuries and was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
Nikeziq was also charged with criminally negligent homicide, assault, vehicular assault, reckless endangerment, driving while intoxicated, and driving while impaired by alcohol, police said.
How did the crash happen?
The 30-year-old Albanian immigrant driver was travelling southbound at a high rate of speed when he lost control of his vehicle in front of Boulevard 2545 Hylan near New Dorp Lane in the New Dorp neighbourhood and struck a retaining wall. The driver Adem Nikeziq, a 30-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Witness statement
A business owner from Satin Island reported comparing the tragic accident to the bloody events caused by placing “bombs” on vehicles in the streets of Beirut when he called the authorities to report the accident. Mario Basso, 31, the proprietor of H2O Auto Spa on Hylan Boulevard, stated that he and his employees arrived for work at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday and met with investigating police officers 100 meters from his business before beginning work.
“I don’t understand how the light pole and the concrete fortress are still “standing” from that hit so hard,” Basso said shocked, adding, “The car was cut in half.”
The surprised owner, according to the press, offered condolences to the victim’s family: “It’s a tragedy and it was a terrible morning for everyone who saw this accident. Everyone is very much affected. It looks like it happened in Beirut. There is still garbage and blood all over the place.
