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Driver had blood-alcohol twice the limit
April 21, 2004, 4:16 PM EDT
An elderly man who caused a chain-reaction crash on Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont yesterday that killed two boys and injured six others had a blood-alcohol reading of .17, more than twice the legal limit for drunken driving, Nassau police said.
Vernon Ketcher, 82, of Elmont, had two drunken driving arrests on his record and at least three car accidents since 1991, police said. But police added that he was driving with a valid license.
Witnesses said the accident started when Ketcher begn weaving his red 1988 Jeep Cherokee in and out of traffic, crossing over the yellow safety lines about 200 yards before the Hill Avenue intersection.
Then apparently without slowing, he approached the intersection. There Cynthia Aponte and her 5-year-old daughter Kelly sat in a Chevy Blazer, stopped at a red light, and behind them was a 2003 Oldsmobile minivan filled with five boys ranging in age from 11 to 14.
The boys, members of the Elmont Rangers, were clad in their soccer uniforms and being driven by their coach, John Singh, 54, of Elmont.
Witnesses interviewed at the scene estimated the Jeep hit the minivan at a speed of between 50 and 65 mph.
"It happened so fast. I was thinking is he going to slow down anytime soon," said Marcus Duley, 18, who was standing at a shopping plaza nearby when the accident occurred just before 5 p.m. "It sounded like someone had popped a balloon. And then I heard glass."
"I heard boom boom boom," said Jack Gisonda, 38, of Elmont, who swerved to avoid the accident just cars in front of him.
He immediately ran to the Jeep but said he saw Ketcher was injured so badly he could not help. He then went to the minivan, where Singh was talking but making little sense.
"I said just relax, help is coming," Gisonda said. "I couldn't do anything for them really until the ambulance and the fire truck came."
Police and ambulance crews arrived shortly afterward and pronounced Ketcher dead. Jose Hernandez, 14, was also pronounced dead at the scene and Ferman Bravo, 13, died at the Franklin Hospital Medical Center in Valley Stream. Both boys were from Elmont.
Singh was taken to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow and was in fair condition, and a 12-year-old boy with neck and back injuries taken there was in guarded condition. Singh's 12-year-old son, Ryan, was in fair condition at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside and a 12-year-old boy, also there, had leg fractures and possible internal injuries.
Aponte and her daughter, of West Hempstead, were taken to Nassau University Medical Center and treated and released for neck and head pain.
Robert Aponte, of West Hempstead, was driving a few minutes behind his wife. As he drove with their son, 6, along Hempstead Turnpike, he noticed the line of backed-up traffic and lights from emergency vehicles.
"I suspected the worst," he said. "You know, that maybe it was my wife."
As he got closer, he saw his wife sitting on a chair at the accident scene. She told him that she was waiting at the light when the minivan hit her from behind.
The Apontes watched as emergency workers cut through the roof of the van and pulled out the boys inside.
The driver of the van was upset, Aponte said. "He kept apologizing to my wife. I said, 'Sir, come on you got hit. Relax,'" Aponte said. "The poor guy was in shock. I don't think he realized how bad the kids were in the van."
"We are all shaken up by the fact it could have been a lot worse for us," he said. "We feel blessed that we're OK. But we also feel guilty that the others weren't as fortunate."
Staff writers Jennifer Sinco Kelleher and Bill Mason contributed to this story.
Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc.
I saw it on News last night. The helicopter was videoing the EMT was doing CPR on teenager boy. It was so terrible to hear that. It happened only 10 mins from my house.
I still dont understand why they let this man drive when he had DWI few yrs ago and he drive again. I wish if anyone caught the first DWI then throw out the license and dont drive again. I guess the law is not enough to safe alot of victims.
My prayer goes to these boys' family..
April 21, 2004, 4:16 PM EDT
An elderly man who caused a chain-reaction crash on Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont yesterday that killed two boys and injured six others had a blood-alcohol reading of .17, more than twice the legal limit for drunken driving, Nassau police said.
Vernon Ketcher, 82, of Elmont, had two drunken driving arrests on his record and at least three car accidents since 1991, police said. But police added that he was driving with a valid license.
Witnesses said the accident started when Ketcher begn weaving his red 1988 Jeep Cherokee in and out of traffic, crossing over the yellow safety lines about 200 yards before the Hill Avenue intersection.
Then apparently without slowing, he approached the intersection. There Cynthia Aponte and her 5-year-old daughter Kelly sat in a Chevy Blazer, stopped at a red light, and behind them was a 2003 Oldsmobile minivan filled with five boys ranging in age from 11 to 14.
The boys, members of the Elmont Rangers, were clad in their soccer uniforms and being driven by their coach, John Singh, 54, of Elmont.
Witnesses interviewed at the scene estimated the Jeep hit the minivan at a speed of between 50 and 65 mph.
"It happened so fast. I was thinking is he going to slow down anytime soon," said Marcus Duley, 18, who was standing at a shopping plaza nearby when the accident occurred just before 5 p.m. "It sounded like someone had popped a balloon. And then I heard glass."
"I heard boom boom boom," said Jack Gisonda, 38, of Elmont, who swerved to avoid the accident just cars in front of him.
He immediately ran to the Jeep but said he saw Ketcher was injured so badly he could not help. He then went to the minivan, where Singh was talking but making little sense.
"I said just relax, help is coming," Gisonda said. "I couldn't do anything for them really until the ambulance and the fire truck came."
Police and ambulance crews arrived shortly afterward and pronounced Ketcher dead. Jose Hernandez, 14, was also pronounced dead at the scene and Ferman Bravo, 13, died at the Franklin Hospital Medical Center in Valley Stream. Both boys were from Elmont.
Singh was taken to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow and was in fair condition, and a 12-year-old boy with neck and back injuries taken there was in guarded condition. Singh's 12-year-old son, Ryan, was in fair condition at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside and a 12-year-old boy, also there, had leg fractures and possible internal injuries.
Aponte and her daughter, of West Hempstead, were taken to Nassau University Medical Center and treated and released for neck and head pain.
Robert Aponte, of West Hempstead, was driving a few minutes behind his wife. As he drove with their son, 6, along Hempstead Turnpike, he noticed the line of backed-up traffic and lights from emergency vehicles.
"I suspected the worst," he said. "You know, that maybe it was my wife."
As he got closer, he saw his wife sitting on a chair at the accident scene. She told him that she was waiting at the light when the minivan hit her from behind.
The Apontes watched as emergency workers cut through the roof of the van and pulled out the boys inside.
The driver of the van was upset, Aponte said. "He kept apologizing to my wife. I said, 'Sir, come on you got hit. Relax,'" Aponte said. "The poor guy was in shock. I don't think he realized how bad the kids were in the van."
"We are all shaken up by the fact it could have been a lot worse for us," he said. "We feel blessed that we're OK. But we also feel guilty that the others weren't as fortunate."
Staff writers Jennifer Sinco Kelleher and Bill Mason contributed to this story.
Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc.
I saw it on News last night. The helicopter was videoing the EMT was doing CPR on teenager boy. It was so terrible to hear that. It happened only 10 mins from my house.
I still dont understand why they let this man drive when he had DWI few yrs ago and he drive again. I wish if anyone caught the first DWI then throw out the license and dont drive again. I guess the law is not enough to safe alot of victims.
My prayer goes to these boys' family..
that guy oughta have his license revoked FOREVER!! and locked up too! damn *smh* 
true too Vampy! 
