On Tuesday afternoon, Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced that Efren Moreano, 21, has been charged with single felony counts of second-degree manslaughter, first-degree reckless endangerment and three counts of second-degree vehicular manslaughter.
He was also charged three misdemeanor counts of driving while intoxicated and unlawful possession of marijuana for his role in the accident that caused the death of 46-year-old NYPD Detective Paul Duncan.
According to police, on Feb. 27, shortly before 4 a.m., Moreano drove his Honda Civic northbound on to the southbound Jackson Avenue exit of the Sprain Brook Parkway in Greenburgh, entering the parkway into oncoming traffic. At the same time, Duncan was driving into work at his precinct in Queens, entering the parkway from the Route 100-B entrance.
Moreano struck Duncan’s SUV head on approximately two miles into his commute, killing him instantly. Moreano would sustain serious injuries to his right leg and arm and needed to be extracted from his car. He underwent surgery for non-life threatening injuries.
While Moreano was being extracted from the Civic, first-responders on the scene reported a strong odor of alcohol emanating from his body. A New York State Trooper also reported the scent of marijuana coming from the car, and subsequently found a small bag of the drug on the passenger side of the car.
An accident investigation would later reveal that Moreano was travelling approximately 100 miles per hour at the time of the collision. Toxicology reports found Moreano to have a blood alcohol content of .16 – twice the legal limit – with traces of marijuana in his system.
Moreano has been remanded to the Westchester County Jail without bail. He is due back in court on Monday, Nov. 2. He faces a maximum of 15 years in state prison.
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