Eugene Golden was allegedly intoxicated when he crashed Mercedes SUV into car and severely injured mother and daughter in March
MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Huntington man was arraigned today on indictment charges related to a March 8 crash in Woodbury, in which the defendant allegedly drove drunk into oncoming traffic and crashed into a vehicle, seriously injuring the driver and her 10-year-old daughter.
Eugene Golden, 60, of Huntington, was arraigned before Supreme Court Justice William Donnino on charges of:
• Three counts of Aggravated Vehicular Assault (a C felony)
• Two counts of Assault in the 2nd Degree (a D felony)• Three counts of Vehicular Assault in the 1st Degree (a D felony)
• Two counts of Vehicular Assault in the 2nd Degree (an E felony)• Reckless Endangerment in the 2nd Degree (an A misdemeanor)
• Reckless Driving (an unclassified misdemeanor)• Operating a Motor Vehicle while Under the Influence of Alcohol (an unclassified misdemeanor)
• Aggravated Operating a Motor Vehicle while Under the Influence of Alcohol (an unclassified misdemeanor)
The defendant pleaded not guilty and bail was set at $10,000 bond or $5,000 cash. The NCDA requested that bail be set at $300,000 cash or $150,000 bond. If convicted of the top count, the defendant faces up to 5 to 15 years in prison. He is due back in court on July 8.
“This is another heartbreaking example of a selfish driver allegedly deciding to drink to the point of intoxication and then drive at the risk of everyone around him,” DA Singas said. “That risk turned into a devastating reality when the defendant’s SUV crossed into oncoming traffic and struck the car of an unsuspecting mother and her 10-year old daughter, leaving them with severe, life-altering injuries that were completely avoidable.”
DA Singas said that on March 8, at approximately 9:38 p.m., the defendant was allegedly driving a Mercedes Benz SUV northbound on Woodbury Road, crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a Nissan Versa that was traveling southbound. The Nissan was driven by a 43-year-old woman, who had her 10-year-old daughter in the backseat.
The defendant was allegedly coming from a nearby restaurant, where he consumed alcohol.
The victims in the Nissan were transported to a local hospital in critical condition. The 43-year-old woman suffered multiple fractured ribs, a fractured shoulder, a fractured spine and required the surgical removal of part of her colon. Her daughter suffered from severe traumatic brain injury, which required surgery. The child is recuperating and the crash still affects her vision, cognitive abilities, and short term memory.
The defendant was arrested by members of the Nassau County Police Department.
Assistant District Attorneys Katie Zizza and Deputy Chief Michael Bushwack of DA Singas’ Vehicular Crimes Bureau are prosecuting the case. Golden is represented by Bruce Barket, Esq.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.