Long Island Man Convicted in Fatal Drunken Hit-And-Run on Southern State

An Oyster Bay man was convicted Friday on all counts related to causing a fatal crash in 2014 while driving drunk and high on the Southern State Parkway, leaving the scene of the crash and then burning the car to destroy evidence, Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said.

Madi Grant, 35, was convicted of several charges, including second-degree manslaughter, third-degree arson and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting. He faces up to 15 years for the manslaughter charge, 15 years for the arson charge and seven years for the leaving the scene charge.

“This cowardly defendant was drunk and high when he crashed into an innocent driver, Sherman Richardson, and left him to die as he fled the scene attempting to hide his crime,” Singas said in a press release. “Thanks to a Good Samaritan, dogged investigation by the State Police, and excellent work by our prosecutors he will be held accountable.”

On Dec. 5, 2014, Grant drank alcohol, smoked marijuana and spent several hours in a Queens strip club before driving a borrowed rental Chevrolet Captiva eastbound on the Southern State Parkway at 5:30 a.m., authorities said.

Grant was about a half-mile away from the Route 110 exit when he accelerated across all three lanes of traffic, from the left lane to the right lane, and crashed into the rear of another car, driven by 59-year-old Sherman Richardson of Hempstead, at around 6:30 a.m., the DA said.

Richardson’s car veered off the parkway and slammed into a tree on the side of the road. Richardson, who was on his way to work as an ironworker, was killed instantly.

A good Samaritan who was driving eastbound on Southern State stopped to help Richardson while another good Samaritan followed Grant as he fled the parkway at Exit 32, the DA said.

The good Samaritan flashed his headlights, honked his horn at the driver and eventually lost his pursuit of the Chevrolet Captiva, but not before calling 911, giving police a description of the car and returning to the scene of the crash.

Grant’s car was allegedly speeding through several red lights and stop signs and driving as fast as 70 mph while making rapid turns through the side streets of Amityville to flee the scene.

According to the DA, Grant hired someone to light the Captiva on fire later that day to destroy all evidence of the crash. The car was found engulfed in flames on a residential street at 3:30 p.m., soon after school had let out for the day.

Grant was arrested in September 2015.

He was convicted of the following charges:

• Second-degree manslaughter
• Third-degree arson
• Leaving the scene of an incident without reporting
• DWI
• Driving while ability impaired by the combined influence of alcohol and drugs
• Reckless driving
• Aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle
• Fourth-degree conspiracy

He is due back in court on Friday, April 14 for sentencing.

Image via NCDA