Franklin Reyes, the unlicensed driver who killed a four-year-old while escaping the police, was arrested again this weekend, again for driving without a license and leading police on another chase.
The Daily News reports that Reyes, 18, was stopped by police in Washington Heights this past Sunday evening for failing to signal a turn. When officers approached Reyes, the teen sped off, dragging an officer 100 feet, according to the criminal complaint. Reyes then hit another car, almost struck a pedestrian, and eventually tried fleeing on foot before he was apprehended by the NYPD. He was charged with a litany of crimes second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, unlawful fleeing a police officer, and, of course, unlicensed driving.
Reyes is currently on trial for manslaughter he fatally ran over 4-year-old Ariel Russo as she walked to school with her grandmother. Reyes, who only had his learner's permit, also attempted to evade police in the June 2013 accident, where he sped away from officers, attempted a turn, jumped a curb, and pinned Russo to a building. Her grandmother was seriously injured in the accident.
At the time of the accident that killed Russo, Reyes's lawyer told reporters that, "Nothing like that ever happened in his life. He's not a violent kid. He will forever live with the scar of what happened, knowing that he has no one to blame but himself. He doesn't blame the police officers for chasing him, even though they didn't have to chase him."
At the time of the most recent incident, Reyes was even getting a deal from the judge in the manslaughter case, who offered Reyes a maximum of four years in prison and a chance for the case to be forever sealed. On Monday, Reyes was ordered to be held without bail. The judge has yet to state whether that deal remains on the table.
