NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — A man was sentenced Thursday to four to 12 years in prison in the 2023 DWI death of a city worker, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Friday.
Errick Persaud, 25, was sentenced Thursday to four to 12 years in prison on a charge of manslaughter for a drunken collision in which he killed a 36-year-old worker in a New York City Department of Environmental Protection truck in Richmond Hill in July 2023.
Persaud pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the second degree on May 8.
According to the charges, at approximately 2:30 a.m. on July 6, 2023, video surveillance footage showed Persaud driving a black Mercedes-Benz at high speed through a steady red light at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard in Richmond Hill.
Persaud then struck a Department of Environmental Protection truck near the intersection. The impact of the collision toppled the truck and ejected 36-year-old Michael Rodriguez from the passenger seat.
Rodriguez was taken to a local hospital with severe head and body trauma and later died due to his injuries.
The 40-year-old driver of the truck sustained minor injuries.
After the accident, Persaud was administered a Breathalyzer that indicated he had a blood alcohol content of .134 percent, which was above the legal threshold of .08 percent.
"This defendant made the selfish decision to drive drunk and that choice led to a completely avoidable tragedy. Errick Persaud endangered every person on the road in those early morning hours and crashed into a DEP truck, killing 36-year-old Michael Rodriguez," DA Katz said. "My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting dangerous drivers and we hope today's sentence provides a measure of solace to the victim's family."
