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Police Ignore Off-Duty Cop's Drunk Driving Victims
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Jun 8, 2010
Modified Jun 8, 2010
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By
Jaya Saxena
Published Jun 8, 2010
Modified Jun 8, 2010
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It's been nearly four weeks since an off-duty cop with a BAC of 0.16 smashed his car on the Bronx River Parkway, killing himself and another cop and injuring four passengers, and the victims have yet to hear anything from the cops. The Daily News talked to the victims and their families, and claims the "plight of the injured women has all but been ignored."
Granted, it took over two weeks for the investigation to determine that Officer Hoyoung Kim had been intoxicated while he was driving—something that tends to happen much more quickly in civilian cases. The six involved in the crash had been at a birthday party before getting in the car, and Kim reportedly told the victims "trust me, I'm a police officer" when they asked if he was fit to drive. The victims' lawyer, Ken Litman, said that as an officer, he violated their trust. "The young women I represent are innocent victims in this. The police had a duty to protect and serve."
Victim Iris Ramirez suffered spinal cord injuries in the crash, and may not be able to walk again, and all four have undergone surgeries for multiple fractures. Victim Melina Ramirez's mother had previously said, "Not one single person from the NYPD or the city has asked us how she's doing or showed concern." The News argues that swifter action would have been taken against the offending driver were the crash caused by a civilian, and that police should be held to an even higher standard. However, it's hard to see what more can be done given that the driver killed himself in the crash. Should the NYPD show more concern for the victims, or have they done their job by just determining the cause of the crash?
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bronx river parkway
crash
drunk driving
nypd
off duty cop
Jaya Saxena
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