Man Pleads Not Guilty After 100 MPH DWI Crash In Nassau Left 1 Dead: DA

MINEOLA, NY. — A 24-year-old man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from a deadly, high-speed DWI crash on September 3 that killed 55-year-old Queens resident Craig White, prosecutors said.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said Tuesday that 24-year-old Bryan Mizhirumbay had entered a not guilty plea before judge Caryn Fink. Mizhirumbay was arraigned on charges including aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree manslaughter, first-degree vehicular manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, second-degree assault, aggravated driving while intoxicated, DWI and reckless driving, prosecutors said.

Mizhirumbay’s attorney, Steven Gaitman, declined to comment on the proceedings.

Prosecutors said Mizhirumbay’s bail had been set at $100,000 cash, $350,000 bond and $1.5 million partially secured bond. As part of the court proceedings, Mizhirumbay was also placed under electric monitoring, surrendered any and all passports and had his driver’s license suspended, prosecutors said.

“This defendant, allegedly more than two times the legal limit for alcohol, was screaming down Atlantic Avenue in Freeport on a tragic collision course with Craig White, who was returning home from his shift at AHRC Nassau,” Donnelly said. “Mizhirumbay violently slammed into Craig’s vehicle at 90 miles per hour, causing catastrophic damage, and ending his life. Craig was a dedicated member of the AHRC staff, supporting the needs of individuals with disabilities serviced by the organization with kindness and compassion. His loss at the hands of an alleged drunk driver devastated the community. Craig’s many friends, colleagues, and loved ones remain in our thoughts as we prosecute this case.”

Citing indictment documents, Donnelly said Mizhirumbay had been driving as fast as 106 miles-per-hour in an eastbound 35 mile-per-hour zone on the night of Sept. 3, failing to stop at a red light and colliding with White’s northbound vehicle while the 55-year-old was on his way home from work. The collision took place at the intersection of S. Long Beach Avenue and Atlantic Avenue, knocking both vehicles northeast across the intersection, prosecutors said.

After the crash, White’s car crashed through a fence bordering the Atlantic Nursery property while Mizhirumbay’s car came to rest on the westbound shoulder of Atlantic Avenue, soon catching fire, prosecutors said. White was found unconscious, pinned in the driver’s seat of his car, prosecutors said. According to the DA’s office, the impact of the crash had pushed White’s driver’s seat into the passenger compartment of the car. White was transported to Mount Sinai South Nassau that night, where he was pronounced dead, prosecutors said.

As for Mizhirumbay, the 24-year-old was taken to Nassau University Medical Center, where doctors drew blood and found a .18 percent blood alcohol content roughly an hour after the crash, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said vehicle data from Mizhirumbay’s car showed it was driving roughly 106 miles per hour three seconds before the crash, broke intermittently in the seconds before the crash and made impact at about 90 miles-per-hour.

Mizhirumbay was arrested Tuesday, prosecutors said. His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 26, and he could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted, prosecutors said.