Woman, 22, Indicted On Charges Of Running Over, Killing Mom Of 5: DA

BRENTWOOD, NY — A 22-year-old woman was indicted on charges of driving while intoxicated when she struck and killed a woman in May, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said on Tuesday.

Madeline Henriquez, of Brentwood, was charged with second-degree manslaughter, leaving the scene without reporting, two counts of tampering with physical evidence, and reckless driving, according to the Honorable John B. Collins.

An investigation revealed that on May 23 at about 10:08 p.m., Henriquez was operating a 2012 Hyundai Elantra eastbound on Motor Parkway at a high rate of speed, Tierney said.

She then swerved into the northbound lane of Wicks Road, striking a vehicle and subsequently striking Cherokee Fletcher, 28, of Commack, who was standing on the southeast corner of Motor Parkway and Wicks Road, prosecutors said.

Fletcher — a mother of five children between the ages of 1 to 7-years-old — was killed as a result of being struck, police said.

Henriquez did not slow or stop at the scene, but proceeded eastbound on Motor Parkway, returning to her home in Brentwood, Tierney said. According to prosecutors, she had been out with others earlier in the evening drinking alcohol.

The following morning, Henriquez had a tow truck pick up the Hyundai and bring it to another residence in Brentwood for repairs as a result of the crash, Tierney said. A search warrant was executed for the location where the car was being worked on and the vehicle was seized on May 26, prosecutors said.

The windshield and passenger side of the vehicle had extensive damage, consistent with being
involved in a crash with both a vehicle and pedestrian, officials said.

Henriquez surrendered on June 22 at the Fourth Precinct, officials said.

“As alleged in the indictment, the recklessly illegal choices this defendant made while behind the wheel tragically took a mother of five away from her children in one instant,” said Tierney. “We will seek to ensure that this individual faces justice for her actions.”

Attorney Robert P. Kelly, who is representing Henriquez, told Patch that "our position is that this is a tragic accident"; she was not intoxicated at the time, he said.

Instead, Henriquez was physically exhausted from working all weekend at a country club, and fell asleep at the wheel, Kelly said.

Henriquez hit another car and left the scene, Kelly said, but did not know a person had been struck, he maintained. She learned about Fletcher's death while watching the news, he said.

"She's heartbroken for Ms. Fletcher's fiancé, their children, her mom, and their entire family," said Kelly. "Our prayers go out to them."

In court on Tuesday, Kelly said that Henriquez was surrounded with more than 20 members of her family and friends.

Henriquez is currently being held on $35,000 cash bail, $350,000 bond or $350,000 partially secured bond and her license has been suspended, prosecutors said.

If she makes bail, Henriquez will be put on supervised release with alcohol and narcotic conditions, including a 6 p.m. curfew and GPS monitoring device, officials said. She was also ordered to surrendered her passport, Tierney said.

Her next court date is Aug. 29.