DA: More Charges For Accused Williamsburg Hit-And-Run Driver
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The man accused in the hit-and-run crash that left a young Hasidic Jewish couple and, ultimately, their premature son dead has been hit with more charges, Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes announced Tuesday.
Julio Acevedo, 44, has been charged with second degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, in addition to previous charges, according to the DA's office.
"While we knew it was a snowy evening and the defendant was speeding, our investigation has developed additional information concerning the nature of Mr. Acevedo's conduct leading up to the fatal crash," said DA Hynes.
Authorities said Acevedo was going 69 miles per hour - more than twice the speed limit - when his BMW slammed into a livery cab taking Nachman and Raizy Glauber, both 21, to the hospital. Raizy Glauber was seven months pregnant.
DA: More Charges For Accused Williamsburg Hit-And-Run Driver
Doctors were able to deliver the couple's baby prematurely by emergency C-section, but the baby boy died the next day.
"No matter what happens to Mr. Acevedo, these three will never come back," community leader Isaac Abraham said. "There were three lives lost here in a very tragic, horrific accident. Those three lives will never be replaced."
The crash happened around midnight on Kent Avenue in Williamsburg on March 3. Acevedo turned himself in to police on March 6 in Bethlehem, Pa. after a friend brokered his surrender.
According to the DA's office, witnesses saw Acevedo speeding and driving recklessly just before the fatal crash. Witnesses also said immediately before the fatal crash, Acevedo's car sped up as he rounded a curve.
The DA said after the crash, witnesses saw Acevedo exit his car and observe the carnage before fleeing.
He was indicted on March 12 on charges of Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting Where Death Results.
The driver of the livery cab was knocked unconscious but survived.
About two weeks before the accident, Acevedo was being arraigned for a drunken driving charge. Supreme Court Judge Michael Gary was working a rotation in arraignment court, and released Acevedo on a personal recognizance bond.
Judge Gary did not suspend Acevedo's driver's license, despite it being mandatory.
A spokesman for the family has said he wants Acevedo to face three counts of murder for the deaths of the Glaubers and their newborn baby.
"Mr. Acevedo is going to have to pay the consequences and hopefully by the time he gets to trial then he'll face the music and most probably pay for what he did," Abraham told 1010 WINS.
Acevedo could face up to life in prison if convicted.
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