Police have not been able to figure out which of the six passengers was driving in Sunday morning's single-car crash in Staten Island, which left two dead and four injured. But while police test DNA taken from the driver's side airbag, they have been able to determine a probable cause for the crash. Witnesses say they the victims had been drinking at a birthday party at the Clubhouse Lounge earlier in the night, and a few had even gotten into a fight with other bar patrons. A friend of victim Jeffrey Capretta said, "He left at 8:30 to go take a shower and meet up with us again around 10. But we never heard from him, until we got the call at 1:30 in the morning telling us Jeff’s dead.”
The Nissan Altima belonged to Daniel Peluso, 19, who was killed in the crash. However, Peluso was found pinned in the front passenger's seat, so police have ruled out the possibility of him being the driver. Capretta, 20, who was also killed, had been charged with DWI last year.
Last night about 300 people gathered at Paulo Intermediate School in Huguenot to honor Capretta with a candlelight vigil. His father said, “This is probably the toughest day of my life." Friend Charles Friscia also warned attendees of the dangers of drunk driving, and reminded everyone to always wear a seatbelt. "I heard about a lot of kids dying over the past couple of years. I never thought my best friend would be one of them."
