September 2, 2005

DILLON ANNOUNCES:

GRAND JURY INDICTMENT IN FATAL DWI MEADOWBROOK PARKWAY CRASH

Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon announced today that a Grand Jury has indicted Martin Heidgen, 24, of 14 Oceanview Avenue, Valley Stream, for two counts of Murder in the Second Degree (Depraved Indifference), a Class A Felony, three counts of Assault in the First Degree, a Class B Violent Felony, two counts of Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, a Class D Felony, and two counts of DWI, an Unclassified Misdemeanor.

At the time of Heidgen’s arrest he was charged with two counts of Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a Class C Felony; DWI and Reckless Driving, Unclassified Misdemeanors; and a violation of Divided and Controlled-Access Highways. On July 14, 2005, Dillon upgraded the original charges to include two counts of Murder in the Second Degree (Depraved Indifference), a Class A Felony and DWI.

According to Dillon, "In the early morning hours of July 2, 2005, Heidgen was driving the wrong way on the Meadowbrook Parkway. Heidgen was operating a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck, heading north on the southbound side of the Meadowbrook. While traveling in the wrong direction, Heidgen collided head-on with a limousine, killing 7 year old Katherine Flynn from Long Beach and limo driver Stanley Rabinowitz, 59, of Farmingdale. Heidgen’s blood alcohol level was determined to be .28 shortly after the accident. That is three and a half times the legal limit."

"The three counts of Assault in the First Degree that Heidgen is charged with relate to victims Christopher Tangney, Denise Tangney and Neil Flynn who were seriously injured as a result of this tragic accident," said Dillon. "The two counts of Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree relate to two separate drivers that Heidgen passed, forcing them off the road, just prior to the accident that claimed the life of two people. When Heidgen passed these drivers he was in the Southbound center lane of the Meadowbrook Parkway heading Northbound."

"The aggravating factors in this case, such as the driving on the wrong side of the Meadowbrook and the high blood alcohol level, support the Murder in the Second Degree charges," said Dillon. "A person is guilty of Murder in the Second Degree when under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to human life, he recklessly engages in conduct which created a grave risk of death to another person, and thereby causes the death of another person."

Heidgen will be arraigned on Friday, September 9, 2005 by Nassau County Court Judge Alan Honorof in Mineola. If convicted of these charges, he faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison. The charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.