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The fiery wreck happened in Hicksville, near the intersection of Prospect Avenue and Cantiague Rock Road, at around 11:20 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21.
Nassau County Police said 30-year-old Jannai Allen, of Westbury, was making a left turn from eastbound Prospect Avenue onto northbound Cantiague Rock Road when his vehicle was struck by a westbound Honda.
The impact caused Allen’s Subaru to catch fire, trapping him inside. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
An investigation found that the Honda driver, 42-year-old Miguel Nolasco, of Roosevelt, was intoxicated at the time, police said.
Nolasco was hospitalized with undisclosed injuries. Following his release, he was expected to be arraigned on the following charges:
- Vehicular manslaughter
- Manslaughter
- Driving while intoxicated
Allen’s death leaves an irreparable hole in the lives of his ten children – seven step-children and three biological ones. The former Westbury High School varsity basketball player was remembered as a “remarkably humble man” by his sister-in-law, Kenia Espinal.
“Embodying the essence of dedication as a father. Alongside his partner, Johana Velasquez, he embraced the challenges and joys of raising ten children – from their eldest, who had just embarked on her college journey, to their youngest, just a year old,” Espinal told Daily Voice.
“Jannai poured his heart into nurturing this large, blended family, cherishing his highest title: ‘Dad.’
Allen’s daughter, Julissa St. Hilaire, remembered her dad as “the embodiment of kindness and patience,” in a statement to Daily Voice.
“Even with 10 kids – seven of whom weren’t his by blood – he wasn’t just a stepfather; he was a true DAD in every sense of the word,” she said. “He never missed a game, event, or dance recital. Whenever we needed him, he was there. Though he wasn’t perfect (because who is?), he was, without a doubt, an extraordinary father."
Funeral services for Allen are scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Donohue-Cecere Funeral Home in Westbury.
A GoFundMe campaign to assist Velasquez and her 10 children with memorial and other expenses had raised nearly $800 as of Thursday, Sept. 26. Those who wish to donate can do so here.
Saturday's crash came amid a particularly deadly weekend on Long Island roadways. Three people, including a 17- and 18-year-old, were killed in a West Babylon crash earlier in the day, and a 17-year-old boy died in a single-car wreck in Merrick early Sunday, Sept. 22.
In another incident early Saturday, a 55-year-old man was struck and killed in North Massapequa while crossing Hicksville Road. The driver then fled the scene.
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