Upper Manhattan Bridge Fatal Crash: SUV Driver Charged with Reckless Driving After Turning Himself In
A devastating accident on the Washington Bridge last August claimed the life of 41-year-old Herb Henry Alesna, a Maspeth resident who was tragically struck and killed by a reckless driver. Jesus Juarez, 36, turned himself in to police Tuesday, marking a long-awaited moment of accountability for his actions.
According to authorities, Juarez's Dodge Durango SUV collided with another vehicle on the bridge around 10:30 p.m., changing lanes and ultimately striking a parked construction truck, which was standing alongside it. Alesna, who had been working on site, suffered fatal injuries from the impact and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Surprisingly, both drivers involved in the crash – Juarez and the Toyota Highlander SUV's driver – cooperated with police, remaining at the scene without reporting any injuries. However, no arrests were made at that time.
Now facing charges, Juarez is accused of reckless driving, failing to yield to a pedestrian, and neglecting his duty to exercise due care. Following an over a year-long investigation by the NYPD, Juarez was taken into custody in the 5th Precinct and granted supervised release pending his next court date.
His lawyer, Julie Rendelman, explained that Juarez surrendered himself with legal representation after police requested it. When asked about the incident, Rendelman stated that her client's behavior "was a tragic accident" and expressed remorse for his role in Alesna's death.
The fact that Juarez is facing charges nearly a year after the fatal crash has raised questions about the NYPD's investigation process and how long it took to identify him as responsible for the incident. The case highlights the need for swift accountability in such incidents, ensuring justice for victims and their families.
As authorities continue to gather more information on this developing story, one thing is clear: reckless driving has no place on our roads, and those found guilty must be held accountable for their actions.
A devastating accident on the Washington Bridge last August claimed the life of 41-year-old Herb Henry Alesna, a Maspeth resident who was tragically struck and killed by a reckless driver. Jesus Juarez, 36, turned himself in to police Tuesday, marking a long-awaited moment of accountability for his actions.
According to authorities, Juarez's Dodge Durango SUV collided with another vehicle on the bridge around 10:30 p.m., changing lanes and ultimately striking a parked construction truck, which was standing alongside it. Alesna, who had been working on site, suffered fatal injuries from the impact and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Surprisingly, both drivers involved in the crash – Juarez and the Toyota Highlander SUV's driver – cooperated with police, remaining at the scene without reporting any injuries. However, no arrests were made at that time.
Now facing charges, Juarez is accused of reckless driving, failing to yield to a pedestrian, and neglecting his duty to exercise due care. Following an over a year-long investigation by the NYPD, Juarez was taken into custody in the 5th Precinct and granted supervised release pending his next court date.
His lawyer, Julie Rendelman, explained that Juarez surrendered himself with legal representation after police requested it. When asked about the incident, Rendelman stated that her client's behavior "was a tragic accident" and expressed remorse for his role in Alesna's death.
The fact that Juarez is facing charges nearly a year after the fatal crash has raised questions about the NYPD's investigation process and how long it took to identify him as responsible for the incident. The case highlights the need for swift accountability in such incidents, ensuring justice for victims and their families.
As authorities continue to gather more information on this developing story, one thing is clear: reckless driving has no place on our roads, and those found guilty must be held accountable for their actions.
, it's about time he took responsibility for his actions! I mean, 41-year-old Herb Henry Alesna was just minding his own biz on the bridge when suddenly this SUV comes out of nowhere... 
. The fact that both drivers were cooperative is definitely a plus, but I guess you can't expect everyone to be as lucky as them 
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. Reckless driving is just not okay, and I'm glad his lawyer acknowledges that 
. Now let's hope the justice system does its job and gives him a fair shake... 
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like how the police were able to track him down after all that time 
and yeah it's about time Juarez faced charges this is one case where justice should take precedence over anything else 
let's hope the punishment fits the crime too 
The fact that the drivers involved cooperated is a good start, but it's too little, too late for Herb's family... RIP, dude 
. It's heartbreaking that someone lost their life due to another person's reckless behavior on the road. I think this case is a perfect example of how swift accountability can bring closure to families and victims. One year is too long to wait for justice, especially when it comes to something as preventable as reckless driving 
. It's great that Juarez turned himself in, but we need to make sure our authorities are doing everything they can to ensure such incidents don't happen again 
. We all have a responsibility to be safe on the roads, and this case should serve as a reminder that one wrong move can have devastating consequences 
It's just so frustrating! Like, how hard is it to take responsibility for your actions when you know you're at fault? 
And the fact that he was able to turn himself in now, with a lawyer by his side...it just feels like he's getting off easy. 
I mean, what about Herb Henry Alesna's family? Have they gotten any justice yet? 
That's so sad about Herb Henry Alesna... 
He did turn himself in after all, so that's gotta be some kind of credit? 
And yeah, reckless driving is just so senseless... it's like, come on, folks! We're all sharing the roads together, let's look out for each other! 
. Maybe this will bring some changes to the NYPD's investigation process, and that would be a step in the right direction 
this case just makes me so frustrated.
the fact that the driver turned himself in now is kinda satisfying but like what took so long to figure out who was responsible? 
NYPD should get some new blood on that investigation team, it's just too slow. and btw, reckless driving is literally no joke