Driver In Crash Killing 'Hero' LI Boy Was Drunk And High; Faces Manslaughter Charge: DA

RIVERSIDE, NY — A Brooklyn man accused of speeding in a car while drunk and high in a crash on the Long Island Expressway that caused the death of a 9-year-old Long Island boy faces manslaughter charges that were unveiled in an 11-count indictment on Wednesday in Suffolk criminal court, prosecutors said.

At about 2 a.m. on Aug. 22, Travis Dickson, 28, whose license was previously revoked, was driving drove a 2018 BMW 540i allegedly under the influence of alcohol and was impaired by marijuana, according to prosecutors.

Dickson, found with marijuana, was allegedly driving at 119 miles per hour westbound on the Long Island Expressway and did not use his brakes before he struck the back of a 2019 Toyota Corolla, that was driven by Angel Salas' father, Bruce Koch, 40, of Deer Park, prosecutors said.

The impact of the BMW crushed the back of the Toyota where Salas was restrained in his booster seat, prosecutors said, adding that, the child was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital in critical condition. Koch was also taken to Stony Brook where he was treated for his injuries, according to prosecutors.

Salas was removed from a ventilator on Aug. 24 and his organs were donated to save the lives of three people between New York and Florida.

In a statement following Salas' death, Leonard Achan, opresident of LiveOnNY, the organization that orchestrated the organ donation, called him "a precious 9-year-old New Yorker who tragically lost his life," and called him an "organ donor hero after his family generously gave the gift of life."

District Attorney Ray Tierney referred to the crash that claimed Salas' life as having "another young life was cut short because of poor judgment by this reckless driver."

“A 9-year-old child will never have the chance to experience life and his father is now left with the mental and physical pain of the fatal day that has forever changed his life,” he added.

He was charged with second-degree manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, and assault, as well as two counts of driving while intoxicated and one count each of driving while ability impaired by drugs and driving while ability impaired by combined influence of alcohol and a drug or drugs.

He was additionally charged with third-degree assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Dickson was ordered held on $500,000 cash, $750,000 bond, or $1 million partially-secured bond and his license was suspended. He is due back in court on Dec. 14.

His attorney Michael Brown or Central Islip could not be immediately reached for comment.