BROOKLYN, NY – A Queens man has been sentenced to 3 to 9 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree manslaughter for causing a fatal crash in Crown Heights by running red lights and speeding, announced Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
Elijah Lucaine, 25, of Cambria Heights, was sentenced by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Joanne Quinones following his guilty plea on May 15, 2024. The crash, which occurred on March 13, 2023, resulted in the death of David Ellis, 56.
District Attorney Gonzalez emphasized the severity of Lucaine’s actions, stating, “This defendant’s reckless decision to speed and disobey traffic lights cost an innocent man his life and endangered many others. He has now been held accountable for his criminal conduct. I remain committed to keeping Brooklyn’s streets safe for all people.”
The investigation revealed that at approximately 4:35 p.m., Lucaine was driving a 2015 white Infiniti and was observed running multiple red lights, traveling at high speed, and swerving in and out of oncoming traffic. At around 4:45 p.m., he ran a red light at Crown Street and Nostrand Avenue at approximately 70 mph in a 25 mph zone, t-boning a black Acura driven by Ellis.
Ellis, who was trapped in his car, had to be extricated by the Emergency Services Unit and was taken to Kings County Hospital with severe injuries, including a leg fracture, rib fractures, and a lung contusion. He succumbed to his injuries five days later due to blunt force trauma from the crash.
