Nassau Man Gets 5-12 Years For Car Chase That Caused Deadly Crash

HEMPSTEAD, NY — A Valley Stream man was sentenced to five to 12 years in prison today for his role in a high-speed chase that ended in a fatal car crash in Hempstead in 2019.

Dana King, Jr., 24, pleaded guilty in November to second-degree manslaughter and second-degree assault. In addition to the five to 12 years in prison, he was also sentenced to three years post-release supervision.

“Dana King’s obsession with his ex-girlfriend went from stalking to a maniacal high-speed car chase in a matter of minutes and ended in a crash that permanently injured the young woman and killed Jim Hayes — just because Hayes was driving a car with her in it,” said Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas. “This is not a case of ‘love sickness.’ This is a case of a defendant’s need to criminally control another person’s life, and Dana King senselessly killed a 22-year-old father in the process. Our thoughts are with Ms. Rodriguez and the Hayes family.”

According to Singas, at 11:30 p.m. on March 19, 2019, 22-year-old Jim Hayes, Jr. picked up Isabel Rodriguez from her home in Valley Stream. About a block from her house, Rodriguez saw King, her ex-boyfriend, driving a black 2009 Audi behind them. King chased them from Valley Stream to Hempstead, driving very fast and making contact with the other car multiple times.

On Baldwin Road in Hempstead, King's car hit the Audi, causing it to become airborne and crash into a tree. The force of the crash caused King's car to spin out of control and strike two parked cars before finally stopping several hundred feet away.

The crash killed Hayes. Rodriguez was taken to Nassau University Medical Center for treatment of a broken arm and a broken back.