Rice:  Griffin Was Drinking in Car When He Hit Cop

Indictment unsealed, new details emerge in the case of an officer critically injured by accused drunk-driver

MINEOLA, NY – Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced at a press conference today that a grand jury has handed down an indictment of Rahiem Griffin in connection with a drunk-driving crash last month that has left a Nassau County police officer critically injured and fighting for his life in a Nassau hospital. 

Griffin will be arraigned on the eight-count indictment Wednesday in Nassau County court.  The indictment includes charges of Assault and Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree, Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, DWI, Reckless Driving, and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle.  He faces a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted of the charges.

Rice also said that detectives have now determined that Griffin had an open container of alcohol in the automobile at the time of the crash.  Tests performed on a bottle of orange juice found outside Griffin’s silver Mercedes Benz indicated, in addition to orange juice, the overwhelming presence of vodka.  Rice said that the container was open at the time of the crash and that the bottle’s cap was recovered in the automobile.

The District Attorney added that while the new details are disturbing and show Griffin’s “utter disregard for others on the road,” they fail to provide the necessary basis for an upgrade in the charges.

“The new details shed significant light on this defendant’s outrageous behavior.  This was not an accident.  When you drink and drive the tragedy is inevitable.  This tragedy is the result possible when a person makes the choice to get behind the wheel drunk, and continue to drink while they are going 65 mph on the Long Island Expressway.  This is not an accident.  This is not a mistake.  The defendant’s actions made this tragedy inevitable,” said Rice.