Man Charged In 2019 Double-Fatal Crash Pleads Guilty: Stamford Police

STAMFORD, CT — The man charged in a car crash that left two people dead on Aug. 26, 2019, in Stamford has pleaded guilty to several charges related to the crash and another incident he was involved in, the Stamford Police Department announced.

On April 6, Jerry Diaz appeared in Stamford Superior Court and, under a pre-arranged plea agreement, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree manslaughter; two counts of second-degree assault with a motor vehicle; operating under the influence; and possession of a firearm without a permit.

Diaz is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on June 6. Per the plea agreement, Diaz will be sentenced to 20 years in prison, which will be suspended after he serves 10, with five years of probation to serve after release.

Diaz, who was 18 at the time, was driving a 2008 Nissan Altima at a high rate of speed southbound on Canal Street with five other people in the car when he lost control, spun out and crashed into two utility poles, police said.

The crash took out several power lines and started a small fire; cleanup from the crash took more than a week, police noted.

Kymani Pollack, 19, was pronounced dead at the scene, and Nishawn Tolliver, 18, was pronounced dead at Stamford Hospital. Three other passengers were all seriously injured — one critically but all survived their injuries.

Police found that the group, all under the age of 21, was out celebrating the birthday of one of the passengers at a local hotel, where they drank alcohol, police said. After leaving the hotel, they stopped at a fast food restaurant, and Diaz was confronted about this reckless driving, at which point he said he would stop, police said.

But after leaving the restaurant, Diaz continued to drive dangerously. The car was traveling between 91-96 mph in a 25 mph zone southbound on Canal Street just south of Henry Street when Diaz lost control, police said.

Toxicology results revealed Diaz's blood alcohol content was .137 percent an hour after the crash, and .122 percent four hours after the crash, both six times the legal limit for a person under the age of 21, police said.

Diaz was initially arrested on Nov. 19, 2019 and charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter; two counts of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle; two counts of second-degree assault; two counts of second-degree assault with a motor vehicle; operating under the influence; and reckless operation.

On Dec. 19, 2020, while out on bond for the charges stemming from the crash, Diaz was arrested and accused of threatening his ex-girlfriend and another person with a firearm, police said. Diaz was then charged with two counts of first-degree threatening; carrying a pistol without a permit; two counts of reckless endangerment, among other charges.

He has been in custody since, police said.

This investigation was conducted by Sgt. Jeffrey Booth and officer Lindsey Yanicky of the SPD's Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Squad.

The criminal case was prosecuted by Assistant State's Attorney Elizabeth Moran of the Stamford Superior Court.