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Alleged Drunk Driver Charged With Vehicular Manslaughter After Fatal Collision in Jackson Heights

An alleged drunk driver has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and other crimes after a fatal collision in Jackson Heights early Saturday (Photo: Google Maps)

Nov. 28, 2022 By Michael Dorgan

An alleged drunk driver has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and other crimes after a fatal collision with a scooter rider in Jackson Heights early Saturday.

Jairo Ortiz, 24, who was allegedly driving a BMW drunk, was traveling southbound on 82nd Street at around 1:15 a.m., when a scooter driver plowed into his vehicle at the intersection at 37th Avenue, police said.

The victim, who has not been identified, was riding a motorized scooter westbound on 37th Avenue when he struck Ortiz’s 2021 BMW sedan, police said. It is unclear which motorist had the right of way.

The scooter rider was transported to EMS NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst with head trauma where he was pronounced dead.

Ortiz, of 26th Avenue in Linden Hill, was arrested at the scene. He has also been charged with driving while intoxicated, driving without a license and insurance, as well as driving an unregistered vehicle.

The investigation is ongoing by the NYPD Highway Collision Investigation Squad.

The NYPD did not provide any further details.

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