Sources Say Latest DWI Cop Is Serious Alcoholic

Drane Nikac

It comes as no surprise that the off-duty NYPD detective who fatally struck an elderly pedestrian early Friday morning in the Bronx has an alcohol problem. Detective Kevin (Spike) Spellman had a blood alcohol level of 0.21 percent—more than twice the legal limit—almost six hours after the accident. Now it's being reported that this isn't the first time booze has caused problems for Spellman and others.

Three years ago Spellman, a 22-year veteran who's assigned to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area unit, was sent to rehab by the NYPD after a drunken row outside a bodega. Sources tell the Daily News Spellman was "slapped with departmental charges," and docked 30 days' pay.

But the rehab didn't help, and at 6:30 on Friday morning Spellman mowed down 67-year-old Bronx grandmother Drane Nikac. Spellman had been drinking at a bar to celebrate another officer's birthday; two beer cans, one full and one empty, were found in his car.

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By John Del Signore in News on November 4, 2009 11:15 AM

Comments [rss]

Spirit of 76

So he's chronic drunk. That would explain a lot. Normally, most people who would have a .21 BAC after six hours would have had alcohol poisoning because of the initial level of alcohol in his system. This guy must have already damaged his liver so badly that it can't metabolize the alcohol at a normal rate.

Sinchy

He was drinking with other law enforcers. Did they let a known alcoholic way over the limit drive away from the party or did he leave the party first without his car and then drink and drive later. If he left a police party in his car drunk, then those other officers have some 'splainin to do.

This angle of the story needs to be investigated- do cops let other cops drive drunk.

Boogie Down

I wish that some news source would publish his picture. Public shaming is underrated.

jaycjay

His picture is here:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/partying_dwi_cop_kills_bx_grandma_ZCMcn5z7L3gL4AFKaFAEPO

That article also says that the Malibu he was driving at the time was his work vehicle: issued by the US Marshals Service. He was working on a joint state-federal task force, the New York/New Jersey HIDTA:

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/HIDTA/newyork_newjersey.html

Sketto

Imagine that several guys from the same Wall Street company were continually getting hammered and running people over after work. Wouldn't everyone in New York go absolutely apeshit and investigate, fine, harass, protest and eventually shut the place down?

But when drunken cops do it...eh...shrug...what're ya gonna do?

schadenfreudian mensch

And the other cops who ran over people are less serious alcoholic? I didn't know there was a gradation on alcoholism. Who knew.