350Z Driver involved in Fatal crash

[Cmike2780]

From Newsday

An East Meadow man accused of causing a crash that killed an off-duty New York City police officer Sunday was not drunk, and the officer may have been drinking and speeding, the lawyer for the defendant told a judge Wednesday.

"I have information that the decedent may have been drunk, driving at an excessive rate of speed, and wasn't wearing a seat belt," attorney Bruce Barket told Nassau County Judge Francis Ricigliano.

His client, Jonathan Lopez, 20, has been charged with second-degree vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving in connection with the crash on the Southern State Parkway that killed off-duty NYPD Officer Kevin Jessup, 25, of Massapequa.

Lopez, who is free on bail, has pleaded not guilty. Asked outside of court why he said Jessup may have been drunk or speeding, Barket said only that the officer was coming from a birthday party before the 5:35 a.m. crash.

Jessup's father, Ron Jessup of Brooklyn, said it was "ludicrous" to say his son was drunk or speeding. "He wouldn't do that."

Lopez said in a statement to State Police that he was driving east on the parkway from a friend's house in East Meadow to his ex-girlfriend's house in Farmingdale when he felt a car clip him and then his car flipped over. Police documents said Lopez took a portable breath test several hours after the crash that showed his blood-alcohol content was .059, below the .08 legal limit.

State Police said in court papers that Lopez was speeding, lost control of his car, and swerved into the right lane to avoid a collision. There he struck Jessup and sent the officer's 2009 Nissan Maxima into trees by the parkway, papers said.

Jessup, who was with girlfriend, Crystal Simons, 30, of Valley Stream, was thrown from the vehicle during the crash on the Babylon/Oyster Bay border. Simons was treated at a hospital and released. New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said Jessup was not wearing his seat belt.

With William Murphy

I just saw this and realized the car was a Z. Looks like a 350. Kind of messed up how they automatically jump to DUI & speeding before the facts just because an off duty cop was involved. My condolences to the police officers family, but you would think he would wear a seat belt of all people.

[MattP725]

Wow... as I posted in another thread, I was hit by a drunk driver a week ago... what are these people thinking (assuming they are driving under the influence)?

[XwChriswX]

Ok, so that article is very hard to read... Was the driver of the 350 the one that was killed, or the one thats being accused of the DUI??

[fairladyZ34]

This is all over at g35nyc since the Z driver was a member over there. Alot is still speculation

[MattP725]

No the one that was killed was in a Maxima I believe...

The Z driver is the one that was charged.

[Cmike2780]

Originally Posted by XwChriswX

Ok, so that article is very hard to read... Was the driver of the 350 the one that was killed, or the one thats being accused of the DUI??

The off-duty officer (Jessup) driving a the 09 Maxima died. They are now reporting that he (the off-duty officer) wasn't wearing a seat belt, possibly intoxicated after coming from a party and speeding. Earlier they reported that the guy(Lopez) in the Z was drunk, speeding and caused the whole accident. They just revealed that the guy in the Z was well below the legal limit after a breathalizer taken after the incident. They basically slapped a second-degree vehicular manslaughter & DUI on Lopez (the driver in the Z) with contradicting facts from the State Police.

[MattP725]

Originally Posted by Cmike2780

From Newsday





I just saw this and realized the car was a Z. Looks like a 350. Kind of messed up how they automatically jump to DUI & speeding before the facts just because an off duty cop was involved. My condolences to the police officers family, but you would think he would wear a seat belt of all people.

I entirely sympathize with your point but I think the problem is that generally you don't have two people just collide to the point that one of them flips over and the other is fatally injured unless there is a high rate of speed or some sort of intoxication. Still you're right they should do a full investigation prior to making those types of allegations because people never seem to remember when someone is acquitted of a charge like that and it can definitely impact a person's life.

[XwChriswX]

Originally Posted by Cmike2780

The off-duty officer (Jessup) driving a the 09 Maxima died. They are now reporting that he (the off-duty officer) wasn't wearing a seat belt, possibly intoxicated after coming from a party and speeding. Earlier they reported that the guy(Lopez) in the Z was drunk, speeding and caused the whole accident. They just revealed that the guy in the Z was well below the legal limit after a breathalizer taken after the incident. They basically slapped a second-degree vehicular manslaughter & DUI on Lopez (the driver in the Z) with contradicting facts from the State Police.

If I was Lopez, I would be countersuing like a mother-fu-- for defamation of character and trying to pass the blame off on me from the Dept.

And I'd also request to be present at the officers funeral as well, to pay my respects.

[MattP725]

Defamation has to be intentional and that would be hard to prove and accident or not I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable going to that service but I see your point.

[Cmike2780]

Originally Posted by MattP725

I entirely sympathize with your point but I think the problem is that generally you don't have two people just collide to the point that one of them flips over and the other is fatally injured unless there is a high rate of speed or some sort of intoxication. Still you're right they should do a full investigation prior to making those types of allegations because people never seem to remember when someone is acquitted of a charge like that and it can definitely impact a person's life.

That's kind of what I'm getting at. This kid could have his life permanently stained because it's doesn't seem like innocent until proven guilty matters anymore. They just made it seem like the guy in the Z was drunk, speeding and killed a cop without telling the other side of the story. I just get a little skeptical when officers are involved and facts are hidden or falsified.

[XwChriswX]

Originally Posted by MattP725

Defamation has to be intentional and that would be hard to prove and accident or not I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable going to that service but I see your point.

This is why they would have to settle out of court because they'd (the dept) would know full well they'd rather slam a kid with a fast/modded car, before they admit an officer was drinking/driving.

I would feel comfortable at the service because I (lopez) did nothing wrong, but he was an officer and should be remembered for his service.

Originally Posted by Cmike2780

That's kind of what I'm getting at. This kid could have his life permanently stained because it's doesn't seem like innocent until proven guilty matters anymore. They just made it seem like the guy in the Z was drunk, speeding and killed a cop without telling the other side of the story. I just get a little skeptical when officers are involved and facts are hidden or falsified.

This is my reason for above statements. ^^

[toxik]

this is his car before the crash:




ive seen his ride before, but this is what happens when you drink and drive.

[kellyefields]

Has anyone failed to notice that 1. Lopez the driver of the Z is only 20 years old and 2.Police documents said Lopez took a portable breath test several hours after the crash that showed his blood-alcohol content was .059, below the .08 legal limit.

Now I know that I am a little older now but when I was 20 the legal age was 21 and that at 21 if I would have taken a BAC test several hours later and still had a .059 that I would assume would be well over the .08 legal limit if taken immediately after, and unless this kid had been drinking since age 12 I am assuming he has not built up that much of a tolerance. This is all assuming that the article is correct in its facts! and I say that with a grain of Salt.

[toxik]

Originally Posted by kellyefields

Has anyone failed to notice that 1. Lopez the driver of the Z is only 20 years old and 2.Police documents said Lopez took a portable breath test several hours after the crash that showed his blood-alcohol content was .059, below the .08 legal limit.

Now I know that I am a little older now but when I was 20 the legal age was 21 and that at 21 if I would have taken a BAC test several hours later and still had a .059 that I would assume would be well over the .08 legal limit if taken immediately after, and unless this kid had been drinking since age 12 I am assuming he has not built up that much of a tolerance. This is all assuming that the article is correct in its facts! and I say that with a grain of Salt.

you don't even have to look that far into it, ny has no tolerance laws, if you're under 21 and your BAC is above .2, youre liable as if you're full blown drunk.

[2011 Nismo#91]

Many new agencies make things more dramatic on purpose, I've seen headlines that take what the article reads and make it something else completely. "Murder Cop Shot" ends up being shots were heard in the area shortly before police arrested a man wanted for attempted murder.

News agencies are not required to report the correct information just what information they believe is correct at the time and must issue a correction or reaction in the back page fine print if they are informed otherwise at a later date.