Mount Vernon Man Pleads Guilty In Car Crash that Killed Passenger

Hasani Ewan of 365 12th Avenue, Mount Vernon, New York pled guilty on April 28 to:

• one count of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a class “D” Felony

in the death of Eloise Spears.

Acting Westchester County District Attorney James A. McCarty said that at abou 1:40 a.m. on Sept. 7, 2015, Ewan was driving his 2001 Honda Accord eastbound on the Cross County Parkway in the vicinity of the Seminary Bridge in Yonkers. Also inside the car was Elouise Spears of the Bronx, a front seat passenger.

Ewan drove his car off the highway and into the Seminary Bridge abutment. The vehicle’s front passenger side smashed into the bridge, killing Spears.

When police arrived, he was outside the vehicle and appeared to be in an agitated state. Officers noted that Ewan’s eyes were glassy and that he staggered when he walked. They also detected the smell of alcohol on his breath and the smell of marijuana coming from his clothing.

Ewan suffered a cut on his face from the accident and was taken to Westchester Medical Center. Upon his arrival he was placed under arrest and advised of his DWI warnings.

His blood drawn at the hospital revealed that he had a .13 percent BAC.

He had been arraigned on a seven count indictment charging him with:

• three counts of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree, class “D” Felonies,
• one count of Criminally Negligent Homicide, a class “E” Felony,
• three counts of Driving While Intoxicated, unclassified Misdemeanors under the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

Ewan remains out on bail. He is due to be sentenced on Aug. 11. He faces an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment having a maximum term of not less than three years and not more than seven years, and a minimum term of not less than one year and not more than one-third the maximum term. Thus, the least such sentence is one to three years, and the greatest such sentence is two and one-third to seven years in state prison.

Deputy Bureau Chief Nadine Nagler of the Superior Court Trial Division is prosecuting the case.