Michael McBean, 24, was charged with second-degree manslaughter, leaving the scene of a fatal accident, attempted robbery, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct after his car struck and killed a retired police officer, injured a dozen other individuals, and damaged cars on Thanksgiving night in East New York, Brooklyn, according to the New York Times.
Yvette Molina, 56, a retired police officer from Brooklyn, was getting into her minivan from the street after picking up a newspaper about a mile from her home. Simultaneously, McBean drove his white Mercedes-Benz up the intersection of Pennsylvania and Stanley Avenues where he collided into a car stopped at a red light and then careened and fatally struck Molina.
McBean sped away from the scene but stopped not too far away after he crashed into the back of a Dodge minivan and set off a chain reaction involving two other cars, police said. About a dozen people were hurt during the incident, including a 1-year-old, prosecutor Robert Schwartz said.
After the crash, McBean jumped out of his car and ran down the street and attempted to pull another driver out of their vehicle to steal it, officials said. McBean was chased by emergency medical workers nearby and was eventually apprehended by police.
McBean was brought to a nearby hospital for treatment of his injuries. A witness said that he tried to grab the firearms of officers at the hospital.
“The real sad part about this is that he had a psychotic break 30 days ago,” McBean’s defense lawyer said, adding that McBean spent eight days on medication at Kings County Hospital Center. He was released from the hospital without medication.
According to police, McBean’s tests for drugs and alcohol were negative. Investigators believe speed may have been a factor although they cannot determine the exact speed he was driving when the accident happened.
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