Queens man sentenced for fatal dwi crash in richmond hill

QUEENS, NY – Errick Persaud has been sentenced to four to 12 years in prison for a manslaughter charge following a drunken collision that killed a New York City Department of Environmental Protection worker in July 2023. Persaud, 25, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the second degree on May 8.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz stated, “This defendant made the selfish decision to drive drunk and that choice led to a completely avoidable tragedy. Errick Persaud endangered every person on the road in those early morning hours and crashed into a DEP truck, killing 36-year-old Michael Rodriguez. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting dangerous drivers and we hope today’s sentence provides a measure of solace to the victim’s family.”

The incident occurred on July 6, 2023, at approximately 2:30 a.m. Video footage showed Persaud driving a black Mercedes-Benz at high speed through a red light at Atlantic Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard in Richmond Hill. Persaud struck a DEP truck, causing it to topple and ejecting 36-year-old Michael Rodriguez from the passenger seat. Rodriguez was taken to a local hospital with severe head and body trauma and later died from his injuries. The driver of the truck sustained minor injuries.

A Breathalyzer test administered to Persaud indicated a blood alcohol content of .134 percent, above the legal limit of .08 percent.

Assistant District Attorney Alexia Campoverde of the Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau prosecuted the case, with assistance from Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Castellano of the Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Michael Whitney, Deputy Bureau Chief Roni Piplani, Homicide Bureau Chief John Kosinski, Vehicular Homicide Unit Chief Jonathan Selkowe, and Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.

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