Halloween horror crash kills pedestrian as intoxicated driver runs red light in Hempstead
Mineola, NY – A 72-year-old Valley Stream man was indicted Thursday for driving under the influence of alcohol and opioids when he plowed into a 23-year-old pedestrian crossing a Hempstead street on Halloween night, fatally injuring him, according to Nassau County prosecutors.
Jose Forero allegedly struck William Rojas while driving southbound on N. Franklin Street in a 2023 Jeep Gladiator just before midnight on October 31. Rojas had been crossing the road with friends and stopped in the left lane to pick something up from the street when Forero drove through a yellow light and hit him.
Rojas suffered catastrophic head injuries and was rushed to NYU Langone Hospital – Long Island, where he was pronounced dead at 3:28 a.m. the following morning.
Prosecutors said Forero had consumed alcohol at a bar in Garden City after dropping a family member off at a Halloween gathering. Blood tests taken about 90 minutes after the crash revealed a blood alcohol concentration of .12% and the presence of Tramadol, a prescription opioid.
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Forero has a prior DWI conviction under Leandra’s Law from seven years ago in Nassau County. He pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree vehicular manslaughter and multiple felony counts of DWI. He remains remanded and is due back in court on February 20.
If convicted, he faces between 5 and 15 years behind bars.
The crash occurred just blocks from Hempstead’s downtown area, where Halloween revelers were still out in large numbers that night.
Key Points
- A Valley Stream man was indicted after allegedly driving drunk and killing a pedestrian on Halloween night
- Victim William Rojas, 23, died of severe head trauma after being struck in Hempstead
- The defendant had a prior DWI conviction and was found with alcohol and opioids in his system
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