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Woman pleads not guilty in Brooklyn collision that killed mother and 2 kids
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Apr 16, 2025
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New York City mayor's office via X
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Apr 16, 2025
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The woman accused of fatally colliding into a mother and her two daughters as they crossed a Brooklyn street last month pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a 20-count indictment charging her with manslaughter in the second degree, criminally negligent homicide, reckless driving and other offenses.
Miriam Yarimi, 32, appeared before Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Danny Chun in a green Department of Correction sweatshirt at her first in-person appearance in the case, following a hospital stay after the crash. She said nothing as her attorney entered her plea, and occasionally glanced around the courtroom.
Authorities said Yarimi was driving an Audi A3 with a suspended license at the time of the crash and had racked up dozens of speeding tickets since 2023. She told police officers at the scene that “the devil is in my eyes” and “people are out to get me,” according to prosecutors.
But her lawyer Joseph Amsel said the court should “take those statements with a grain of salt” as Yarimi reportedly made them in the wake of the collision and “may have been sedated.” He asked the judge to set bail or impose an alternative to incarceration for her, saying she was a Brooklyn mother who shares custody of her child and did not pose a flight risk.
The judge sent Yarimi back to jail to await her next court appearance on June 11, but he said he would inspect grand jury notes in the case to consider alternatives.
Police said Yarimi was speeding when she turned right at a red light on Ocean Parkway and Quentin Road in Southern Brooklyn around 1 p.m. on March 29, hitting a for-hire car and then plowing into 34-year-old Natasha Saada and her daughters, 8-year-old Diana Saada and 5-year-old Deborah Saada. All three were killed, while Saada’s 4-year-old son, who was walking with them, was struck and critically injured. As of Wednesday, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office said, he was still fighting for his life at a local hospital, after sustaining skull fractures and brain bleeding, having a kidney removed and spending time in a medically induced coma.
DA Eric Gonzalez told reporters after the hearing that the incident was among the worst collisions he has seen in the city in his 25 years as a prosecutor. He said Yarimi was driving at nearly 70 mph, more than double the speed limit, and ran several red lights before the crash.
She faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the current charges, according to prosecutors. Gonzalez said his office was taking a “close look” to see if there were any additional charges they could bring against her.
The incident has led advocates to renew their push for the state lawmakers to pass legislation to put speed-limiter devices on cars belonging to drivers who have been repeatedly stopped for speeding. In the aftermath of the crash, Mayor Eric Adams called it “ a tragic, tragic accident of a Shakespearean proportion.”
Tagged
new york city
public safety
transportation
brooklyn
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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