Driver Indicted For Crash That Killed Man Holding Onto Car Hood

A Great Neck man pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to multiple charges, including second-degree murder, in connection to a collision that killed a man who had jumped on the hood of his car in Manhasset in August, according to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.

Christian Arevalo, 19, was additionally arraigned on second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, first-degree reckless endangerment, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs and driving while ability impaired by the combined influence of drugs.

“It is incomprehensible that anyone would drive for more than a mile and at 60 miles per hour with a person on the hood of the car,” DA Singas said. “This alleged driving was depraved and senselessly took the life of a 20-year old young man.”

According to authorities, Arevalo was in a dispute with a Corey Howell, 20, of Great Neck, that eventually escalated and became physical on Friday, August 11, at 8:43 p.m. Arevalo drove his mother's 2013 Nissan Altima towards Howell, who jumped on the vehicle to avoid being struck, the DA said.

Arevalo allegedly "zig-zagged" in an attempt to throw Howell of the car and drove for more than a mile, reaching speeds of 60 mph down side streets and along Northern Boulevard in Great Neck.

The DA said Howell's brother, who was following the Altima in a 2017 Cadillac, struck the Altima after Arevalo slammed on his breaks on Cumberland Avenue in Great Neck. The crash caused the Altima to go onto the lawn of the Cumberland Adult Center and a semicircle driveway, where it finally struck a curb at the facility. Howell was thrown from the vehicle and landed on the sidewalk. The Cadillac crashed into a parked Nissan Rogue on a residential property.

Howell was transported by a Nassau County Police Ambulance to North Shore University Hospital in critical condition where he was pronounced deceased by hospital staff at 12:39 a.m.

Arevalo was arrested and taken to Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, where he was arraigned on Aug. 13.

Bail was set at $1 million cash or bond. Arevalo is due back in court on Jan. 9. He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top charge.

Image via NCDA