Last week, 21-year-old NYU student Raife Milligan was hit and killed on East Houston Street. Pedestrian and automobile fatalities in Brooklyn Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island are a constant concern due to speeding and negligent drivers.
The New York Post reported that the driver, Michael De Guzman, was more than one and a half times over the legal blood-alcohol limit at the time of the accident. Consequently, he has since been charged with driving while intoxicated, driving with an impaired ability, and felony vehicular assault.
Since December 2021, De Guzman has received 25 parking tickets and four camera-issued speeding tickets.
A Go Fund Me has been created in Milligan’s memory, and has raised $37,156 out of its $45,000 goal.
Friends and family have left supportive messages on the Go Fund Me fundraiser page. One message reads :”Raife was one in a million. Brilliant beyond his years. Saying he will be missed is an understatement. He impacted so many lives in a positive way and will be greatly missed. We will live on through his memory holding him deep in our hearts forever.”
The attorneys at Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP are deeply saddened by the untimely death of Raife. At Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP, we believe that there is simply no excuse for getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol. People who choose to drive while intoxicated are not only acting unlawfully; they are also acting negligently, and they can be held liable for this negligence. A drunk driving injury claim is a civil action that allows injured parties to recover compensation for their losses. It is entirely separate from any criminal proceedings that may occur, and the outcome of a criminal case has no effect on the outcome of your personal injury claim.
If you or a loved one has been affected by a drunk driver, please contact our experienced New York attorneys for a free consultation.
