A man from Brooklyn, Rey Perez, has been charged with manslaughter and driving while intoxicated (DWI) linked to a car crash in Astoria that caused the death of his wife, a passenger in his car. After the incident, the car was found four miles away in Maspeth.
New information related to the case suggests Perez, allegedly intoxicated, crashed into several cars in Astoria, then fled the scene in the damaged car with his severely injured wife on board. The pair ended up in a residential block in Maspeth, four miles away. Perez claimed to investigators that they were being followed at the time of the crash.
On Friday, Perez was brought before Queens Criminal Court on charges of manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, and other crimes. It is alleged that Perez sped through stop signs, collided with another vehicle and two parked cars, then fled the scene and went to Maspeth to call for medical aid for his wife, Bridget Enriquez, who later died from her injuries.
According to the charges, around 4 am on February 22, Perez was seen driving recklessly in a red Nissan Altima sedan, ran through three stop signs, then hit a Honda Ridgeline pick-up truck, before crashing into two parked cars and leaving the scene without reporting the incident.
Around 4:24 am, police from the 104th Precinct responded to a call about a car crash in Maspeth and found a heavily damaged red Nissan Altima. Perez had apparently asked for help from a nearby house. His wife was discovered unconscious in the car, and EMS rushed her to Elmhurst Hospital where she was later declared dead.
Officers noted Perez’s slurred speech, watery eyes, strong alcohol breath, and unsteady standing. At the scene, Perez confessed to driving the vehicle and causing his wife’s death. He blamed an unknown chasing party for the ordeal and admitted to consuming alcohol before the accident. A breath test showed his blood alcohol level to be .113%, beyond the legal limit of .08%.
Queens District Attorney, Melinda Katz, stressed the tragic and predictable outcomes of drunk and reckless driving and pledged to hold Perez accountable. Charged with multiple offenses, including manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence, Perez faces up to 15 years imprisonment if found guilty.
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