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LI Driver's Blood Alcohol Almost 4 Times Limit During Fatal Crash, Says DA
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 28, 2012
Modified Jun 28, 2012
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 28, 2012
Modified Jun 28, 2012
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Charges against a Long Island driver involved a fatal crash on Sunday will probably be upgraded, according to the Suffolk County DA's office. Apparently Michael Grasing's blood alcohol was 0.30 after he crashed his car into one driven by recent high school graduate Brittney Walsh, killing her. DA Thomas Spota added that witnesses said Grasing was speeding, between 85-100 MPH, and that someone yelled at him before the crash to "stop driving before he kills someone"
Grasing, 31, was in his Nissan Maxima on Sunday when, prosecutors say, he was driving erratically—on the sidewalk, into oncoming traffic, blowing through red lights—when he hit Walsh's Kia Sportage on the Montauk Highway. Her car flipped many times and only stopped when it hit a utility pole. The 18-year-old, who had just gotten off of work at KMart, died from her injuries. Grasing's blood alcohol was taken 90 minutes after the crash and the 0.30 is nearly four times the 0.08 legal limit.
The Suffolk County DA's office said that Grasing has been in and out of rehab and has been on benders while his lawyer disagreed with that characterization of his client, who is married and has a child. Grasing is currently charged with driving while intoxicated, but the Suffolk County DA's office may revisit the charges as they continue their investigation.
Walsh had graduated from Copiague High School last week; she was going to attend York College this fall. Her father told WABC 7, "Am I angry at the man who did this? I would be lying if I said no."
Tagged
brittney walsh
drunk
dwi
michael grasing
montauk highway
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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