Drunk Driving and Road Safety

A New York judge sentenced 46‑year‑old Daniel Hyden to 24 years to life in prison for driving drunk into a July 4, 2024 barbecue at Corlears Hook Park in Manhattan, killing four people and injuring seven others. Prosecutors said Hyden, a substance‑abuse counselor who had written a book on addiction, was intoxicated when his Ford F‑150 jumped a curb, tore through a chain‑link fence and plowed into families gathered for a holiday picnic, stopping only when bodies were trapped underneath. He was convicted in a non‑jury trial of murder, aggravated vehicular homicide and related charges after evidence showed he accelerated through a stop sign and a construction zone and did not hit the brakes until half a second before impact. In court, Hyden called the crash an "accident" and linked his relapse to his sister’s death in a separate drunk‑driving case, while survivors and victims’ relatives said he had shown no real remorse and that the sentence offers only limited closure. The case underscores persistent concerns about repeat impairment, failures to intervene before dangerous drivers get back behind the wheel, and the use of severe homicide charges in egregious DUI fatalities.