Williamsburg driver indicted for manslaughter after colliding with a bus in deadly birthday car crash
A Williamsburg man has been indicted on charges of manslaughter and other serious offenses following a car crash that resulted in the death of a passenger. The incident occurred on the evening of Feb. 26, when the defendant allegedly ran multiple red lights and collided with an MTA bus before fleeing the scene.
District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced the indictment and pointed out the severe recklessness displayed by the defendant.
“As alleged, this defendant’s extreme recklessness behind the wheel cost the life of an innocent person and put many more people in harm’s way,” Gonzalez said. “Brooklyn deserves safe streets, and I am committed to holding accountable any driver who endangers our community with this kind of dangerous and criminal conduct.”
The defendant, Michael Rivera, 31, of Williamsburg, was arraigned by Supreme Court Justice Herbert Moses on an eight-count indictment. The charges include second-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault, criminally negligent homicide and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting. Rivera faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the top count. He is scheduled to return to court on July 23.
According to the investigation, Rivera was driving an unregistered 2010 red Mercedes Benz on Harrison Avenue in South Williamsburg at approximately 9:45 p.m. Surveillance footage allegedly shows Rivera running multiple red lights and speeding at over 49 miles per hour in a 25-mile-per-hour zone.
At the intersection of Lorimer Street and Harrison Avenue, Rivera allegedly ran another red light and collided with an MTA bus. The impact caused the vehicle to spin onto the sidewalk, ejecting passenger Alex DeJesus Caba Gutierrez, 33, from the backseat.
Footage allegedly captures Rivera exiting the car and walking up to Gutierrez, who was lying critically injured on the sidewalk, before fleeing the scene. Bystanders called 911, and EMS transported Gutierrez to Bellevue Hospital, where he died approximately two hours later. The incident occurred on Gutierrez’s birthday.
The collision also injured the driver of the MTA bus and several passengers, who were taken to the hospital for treatment.
