By LARRY MAIER
Nassau County police have upgraded charges against Baldwin resident Denise McDermott to second-degree manslaughter and second-degree vehicular manslaughter. Police issued the new charges after witnesses reported seeing McDermott driving recklessly and running red lights before being involved in an accident that killed a Hicksville man and injured his fiancee on Dec. 29.
Police initially charged McDermott with driving while intoxicated and she was arraigned on the misdemeanor charge on Dec. 30. After police upgraded the charges, McDermott was arrested on Jan. 10 and arraigned on the felony charges at First District Court in Hempstead.
When reached for comment on Monday, McDermott's attorney, Stanley Kopilow, said, I am not going to comment at this time on the charges other than to say that the whole situation was tragic for all concerned. This is not something she takes lightly. She is very disturbed about the events of Dec. 29.
Kopilow expects the misdemeanor and felony charges to be combined in the next few weeks.
The collision took place when a 1996 Jeep driven by McDermott struck a 2000 Kia driven by Jasmine Luyster, 19, of Glen Cove. McDermott, 46, was driving north of Newbridge Road when she hit Luyster, who was making a left-hand turn onto North Bellmore Road, police said.
Luyster's fiancee, Robert Klein III, 20, of Hicksville was riding in the passenger seat and was killed in the crash. Luyster received minor injuries and has been released from the hospital.
The dead man's father, Robert Klein, of Port Jefferson Station, who spoke at length about the loss of his son in the Jan. 11 Herald, was pleased when he learned that witness testimony contributed to the charges against McDermott being upgraded.
We were happy about that, said Klein. It gives us comfort knowing there are good people out there who want to do the right thing.
Klein credits a local television news station for encouraging people to come forward with information about the accident.
It's not going to get my son back, Klein said of the upgraded charges. But we do want to see justice.
If convicted, McDermott could face 5-15 years in prison.
