A Bay Shore man was arraigned on a 13-count indictment on Wednesday, Oct. 22, for an April DWI crash on Sunrise Highway in Massapequa that killed a 48-year-old and seriously injured his wife, according to Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly.
Brian August, 19, was arraigned on two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, two counts of vehicular manslaughter, manslaughter, two counts of assault, aggravated vehicular assault, two counts of vehicular assault, aggravated driving while intoxicated, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.
August’s father, Brian Kitchen, 42, was arraigned on two reckless endangerment charges for allegedly serving him alcohol before the crash, Donnelly said.
August pleaded not guilty, and his bail was set at $500,000 cash, $1.25 million bond, and $2 million partially secured bond. If convicted, he faces up to eight and a third to 26 years in prison, the DA said.
Kitchen also pleaded not guilty and was released. If convicted, he faces up to two and a third to seven years in prison, Donnelly said.
Both are due back in court on Dec. 2.
Donnelly said that, according to the charges, on April 19, August was driving a 2023 Bentley, stopped at a red light in the left turning lane of Sunrise Highway and Unqua Road in Massapequa.
He abruptly turned to the right across the eastbound lanes of traffic and struck 48-year-old Willie Singleton’s Polaris Slingshot, which also had his wife in the passenger seat, the DA said.
Singleton was ejected from the car and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His wife suffered injuries to her hips and legs, which required emergency surgery, and resulted in a rod being implanted into her leg, the DA said.
Donnelly said four hours after the incident August had a blood alcohol content of .20% and it was later determined that he had multiple shots of vodka inside the car before the crash. A 1.75 mL bottle of vodka and multiple empty 50 mL bottles of vodka were recovered from the car.
Brian Kitchen, August’s father, allegedly served his son some of the liquor he consumed in the vehicle before the fatal crash.
August was arrested that day, while Kitchen was arrested on Oct. 22, Donnelly said.
