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Elvin Maradiaga Ortiz, age 33 of Hempstead, was indicted on Tuesday, June 25 on charges including vehicular manslaughter, the Nassau County District Attorney announced.
At approximately 5:10 a.m. on the morning of February 24, Maradiaga Ortiz was driving his Jeep Grand Cherokee westbound on Jerusalem Avenue in Uniondale.
The DA’s Office said he was drunk at the time and had spent several hours drinking multiple beverages at a local bar prior to the crash.
As he continued, driving himself and two passengers along Jerusalem Avenue, Maradiaga Ortiz drove off the roadway, reportedly hitting a pole and flipping over his car.
After the crash, Maradiaga Ortiz fled from the scene on foot, leaving his two injured passengers, the DA’s Office said.
One of those passengers was 35-year-old Alex Jose Banegas Figueroa, who was in the backseat of the car and was found unconscious by police who arrived at the scene.
Figueroa was taken to Nassau University Medical Center and was pronounced dead one week after the crash.
The second passenger, whose name has not been released, survived the crash but was still injured, receiving a laceration to the head and pain in his head and right shoulder.
“Piecing together his movements before the fatal crash using surveillance video, investigators discovered that Maradiaga Ortiz allegedly spent hours excessively drinking at a local bar before getting behind the wheel and veering off the roadway,” said District Attorney Anne T Donnelly.
“There is no excuse for drinking and driving. It is a decision that can have catastrophic consequences and can cost someone their life.”
Figueroa was remembered in his obituary as “gentle” and “nurturing.” He was a father to a 3-year-old girl and a soccer fanatic, and he used his spare time to take care of horses.
Maradiaga Ortiz was charged with:
- Manslaughter;
- Vehicular manslaughter;
- Leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death;
- Assault; and
- Driving while intoxicated.
He pleaded not guilty and is due back in court on Thursday, July 18.
If convicted, Maradiaga Ortiz faces up to five to 15 years behind bars.
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